Indian Killed In Arkansas Supermarket Shooting

India-West News Desk

LITTLE ROCK, AR – On June 21, a shooter opened fire at the Mad Butcher grocery store in Fordyce, a small town of 3,200 residents located about 70 miles south of Little Rock, killing four people and wounding 10 others, including one Indian national and two police officers. The suspect was also wounded in a shootout with police.

Among the victims was 32-year-old Dasari Gopikrishna from Andhra Pradesh. He had moved to the U.S. only eight months ago and was working at the Mad Butcher grocery store. He sustained critical injuries while at the billing counter and succumbed to his injuries at the hospital the next day. Gopikrishna is survived by his wife and son.

The shooting resulted in four fatalities and nine injuries as the gunman opened fire inside the store and in the parking lot. CCTV footage showed the assailant entering the store, shooting Gopikrishna at the counter, and then escaping after taking something from a shelf.

The Indian consulate in Houston in a post condoled Gopikrishna’s family and stated they are in touch with local family members, providing all possible assistance. “Deeply saddened to learn about the tragic demise of Indian National Gopi Krishna Dasari in a robbery shooting incident at Pleasant Grove, Dallas, TX. We offer our sincere condolences to the family of the deceased,” the c0nsulate wrote.

In India, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu also expressed grief over Gopikrishna’s death and assured that the state government would provide all necessary support to bring back his mortal remains. (Inputs from Reuters)