OLATHE, Kan. — A man opened fire at a crowded Kansas bar, killing one man and wounding two others before he was arrested in Missouri, police said Thursday about an attack that some witnesses suggested had racial overtones.
Adam Purinton, 51, of Olathe was arrested in Henry County, Mo., after the shooting Wednesday evening at Austins Bar and Grill in the Kansas City suburb of Olathe. He waived extradition from Henry County on Thursday and was expected to be returned to Kansas, said Maj. Rob Hills of the Henry County Sheriff’s Office.
The Kansas City Star reported the suspect uttered racial slurs and yell “get out of my country” before he opened fire, citing witnesses at the shooting.
Srinivas Kuchibhotla died at an area hospital and Alok Madasani and Ian Grillot were hospitalized. Witnesses said Mr. Grillot had stepped in and tried to stop the shooter.
Police declined to provide details about the attack. The FBI referred calls to the Olathe Police Department.
Garret Bohnen, a bartender at Austins, told the Star that Mr. Kuchibhotla and Mr. Madasani work at Garmin Ltd., and stopped at Austins for a drink once or twice a week.
The shooting happened around Wednesday evening while people were watching the University of Kansas-TCU basketball game at Austins, said Olathe police Sgt. Logan Bonney.
Mr. Purinton was taken into custody just after midnight on Thursday morning at an Applebee’s about 70 miles to the southeast in Clinton, Mo., authorities said.
Sonny Lynch, assistant Clinton police chief, said an Applebee’s bartender summoned police to the bar where the man was drinking because he said he’d been involved in a shooting. The unarmed Mr. Purinton was taken into custody and interviewed by detectives from Olathe.
“He mentioned he had been involved in a shooting and we went out there and picked him up,” Chief Lynch said.
First Published: February 24, 2017, 4:15 a.m.