Who was Dasari Gopikrishna? 32-year-old Indian student from Andhra Pradesh killed in shooting in the US

A 32-year-old Indian student was reportedly killed in a shooting at a grocery store in Houston, USA. Dasari Gopikrishna suffered serious injuries while working at the cash register during a robbery at a gas station supermarket in Pleasant Grove, Dallas, on June 21.

He was taken to a nearby hospital where he succumbed to his injuries during treatment on Saturday.

About 14 people were hit by gunfire, including 11 civilians, two police officers and the suspect, police said in a statement, AP reported.

Indian Consul General in Houston, DC, Manjunath, who was in Dallas on Sunday for a Yoga Day event, confirmed to PTI that the incident had nothing to do with a shooting in Arkansas, as previously reported by various sources.

Manjunath expressed his condolences to Gopikrishna’s family and said, “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 at the scene.”

Who was Dasari Gopikrishna?

Gopikrishna, a native of Andhra Pradesh’s Bapatla area, came to the United States just eight months ago.

On June 21, a gunman opened fire in the grocery store where Gopikrishna worked.

His family, living in Yajali, Karlapalem Mandal, Bapatla district, was devastated to hear the news of his death. He leaves behind a son and a wife.

A video of the tragic incident circulated on social media. It shows a man wearing a mask, shorts and a cap shooting Gopikrishna and then stealing money and some items from the shop.

The incident sent shockwaves among the Indian population in Dallas and the surrounding area.

Andhra CM extended sympathy

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

“I convey my deepest condolences to his family and assure them that GoAP will provide all possible support to bring him home. We stand firmly with the family and pray for them to find strength in this difficult time,” Naidu wrote on X.

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 Naidu government and the Ministry of External Affairs to provide unconditional support to the family of the deceased.

The Consulate, in collaboration with Indian associations, is offering all possible assistance to facilitate the repatriation of Gopikrishna’s body to India after completion of all necessary formalities, such as issuance of death certificate and autopsy report.