The man accused of a deadly shooting appeared in court for the first time Monday.
Adam Wade Purinton is charged with one count of pre-mediated murder for the death of Srinvas Kuchibhotla and two counts of attempted murder for wounding Alok Madasani and Ian Grillot in an Austins Bar & Grill on Wednesday.
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Prosecutors say Purinton shot the three men before fleeing across the stateline to an Applebee’s in Clinton, Missouri where he reportedly asked the bartender to help him hide. She called 911.
“Well, I finally got him to tell me and he said that he shot and killed two Iranian people in Olathe," the bartender told a 911 operator.
The former Navy veteran wore an anti-suicide smock to Monday’s hearing where he asked the judge for a public defender.
Chief Public Defender Michael McCulloch stepped in and waived the reading of the complaint.
Meanwhile, Kuchibhotla’s body arrived Monday in his hometown of Hyderabad, India.
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“It’s been definitely overwhelming for Srinivas’ family and my family for sure,” Alok Madasani said in an interview with NBC News.
No family from either the suspect or victims showed up to the 1:30 p.m. hearing.
“This killing has caused such an uproar all over the world,” Dinesh Kansal, an Olathe resident said.
Kansal moved to the city a year and a half ago and plans to follow this case closely.
“I wanted to get an idea what kind of person is he, who would do something like this,” Kansal said. “It’s absolutely heinous thing to do.”
The FBI continues to investigate whether Wednesday’s was a hate crime. If that happens those charges will be filed in federal court because Kansas doesn’t have a hate crime statute.
Purinton is being held on a $2 million bond. His next hearing is set for March 9 at 11 a.m.
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Andres Gutierrez can be reached at andres.gutierrez@kshb.com
