Who was Dasari Gopikrishna, the 32-year-old from Andhra Pradesh who was killed in a shooting at a US supermarket? – Firstpost

In a heartbreaking incident, Dasari Gopikrishna, a 32-year-old Indian student from Andhra Pradesh, was fatally shot in a mass shooting in Arkansas, USA. The tragic event, which took place last Friday (June 21), left four people dead and left the community in deep shock.

The mass murder occurred when a gunman attempted a robbery at a grocery store and opened fire. In the chaos that ensued, 14 people were shot, including 11 civilians, two police officers and the suspect himself, AP reported.

Gopikrishna’s untimely death has brought to light the rising number of violent attacks on Indians living in the country. The Indian Consulate General, along with Andhra Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and YSR Congress leader Jagan Mohan Reddy, have expressed condolences on his tragic demise.

The attack on the grocery store

The attack occurred at approximately 11:30 a.m. on June 21, when gunmen identified as 44-year-old Travis Eugene Posey of New Edinburg went on a rampage and began shooting at customers at the Mad Butcher grocery store in Fordyce, a small Arkansas town of about 3,200 residents.

Videos taken on the phone show Posey in the parking lot, aiming a long gun and firing in all directions.

Katrina Doherty, who was shopping for dinner with her 18-year-old daughter and four-year-old son, was quoted in a post on X as saying: “She thought she heard something fall at first, but then she saw glass shatter and someone fall to the floor.”

Then she knew that shots were fired.

Finding no way to escape, Doherty hastily hid in a freezer along with her children and two other store employees.

The 39-year-old mother said she heard about nine or 10 gunshots before she made it to the icy shelter.

“We ran in there really fast. We could still hear gunshots,” Doherty was quoted as saying in the post. “It was like slow motion. My daughter said, ‘Mommy, pinch me, this can’t be true.’ And I said, ‘Baby, it’s true,'” she continued.

City Council member Roderick Rogers said he called the sheriff when employees at his nearby restaurant informed him of the shooting. When he got there, he saw people running for cover in all directions, one even running to the nearby hospital.

“It’s tragic, our hearts are broken,” Col. Mike Hagar, state police director and minister of public safety, told reporters.

One video posted on social media showed at least one person lying in the parking lot, and another showed multiple gunshots. The images showed numerous bullet holes in the store’s window and shell casings scattered throughout the parking lot.

In addition to Gopikrishna, the following people lost their lives: Shirley Taylor (62), Roy Sturgis (50), Ellen Shrum (81) and Callie Weems (23).

According to Arkansas State Police, officers responded and shot the “sole suspect,” injuring him. He now faces several felony charges, the police statement said.

Who was Dasari Gopikrishna?

Dasari Gopikrishna, 32, came from Bapatla district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh and had only come to the USA eight months ago in search of better living conditions.

He was working at the petrol station supermarket when the incident occurred. Video footage shows the gunman entering the store and openly firing at Gopikrishna as he stood at the cash register.

He suffered serious injuries in the robbery and was taken to a nearby hospital, where he tragically succumbed to his injuries during treatment on Sunday morning.

Gopikrishna’s family lives in Yajali area of ​​Karlapalem district of Bapatla in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh and was devastated to hear the news.

He leaves behind his wife and a son.

Condolences are received

On Sunday, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed grief over the incident and mourned the death of Gopikrishna.

YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, former chief minister of YSR Congress Party and former chief minister of the state, also expressed shock over his death. He appealed to the government and the Ministry of External Affairs to provide unconditional support to the family of the deceased.

Consul General DC Manjunath expressed his condolences to Gopikrishna’s family and wrote on X: “We are deeply saddened by the tragic death of Indian national Gopi Krishna Dasari in a robbery in Pleasant Grove, Dallas, Texas and are in touch with the family members on the ground.”

The tragic incident has deeply shocked the Indian community in the region and surrounding areas. The Consulate, with the support of Indian associations, is providing all possible assistance to facilitate the repatriation of Gopikrishna’s body to India after the local formalities, including autopsy and death certificates, are completed.

The White House also said President Joe Biden had been briefed on the shooting and his team would continue to keep him updated.

Increasing gun violence

What is particularly notable is that there has been a sharp increase in shootings in the United States in recent weeks. Since last Friday, the Gun Violence Archive has recorded at least 21 additional mass shootings.

On Saturday, June 22, one person was killed and seven others injured in a shooting outside the H20 Lounge nightclub in Louisville, Kentucky.

In a similar incident in 2022, a 19-year-old white supremacist killed 10 black people in a racially motivated attack at a Buffalo supermarket. This tragic event occurred just over a year after another mass shooting at a Boulder, Colorado, supermarket that left 10 people dead.

These incidents underscore the ongoing gun violence crisis in the United States and demonstrate the urgency of effective action to prevent such tragedies.

With input from agencies

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