A 25-year-old Indian student was shot dead during an armed robbery in a restaurant in the United States on Friday night.
Sharath Koppu, a student at the University of Missouri in Kansas City was working his shift the at the restaurant when an armed robber fired his weapon, hitting Mr Koppu at his back.
He was pronounced dead later in the hospital.
According to a witness who spoke to Indian television news channel NDTV said Mr Koppu was running away from the shooter when he was shot at.
"The others ducked behind the counter but Sharath turned around and began to run in the opposite direction when the gunman opened fire. Sharath was shot in the back and soon fell to the ground," Shahid, the operator of the restaurant said.
Police have launched a manhunt for the suspect released the CCTV vision of him to help identifying and catching him. They have also announced an award of $10,000 for information leading to murder charges.
Mr Koppu- originally from the southern Indian state of Telangana- was working as a software engineer in India before he moved to the US earlier this year to pursue higher studies.
Raghu Chowdavaram, a cousin of Mr Koppu said he was "full of dreams, cheerful, energetic and athletic".
"He had a great sense of humour, and always made people laugh and was always eager to lend a helping hand."
Mr Koppu's family is now trying to bring back his dead body to his hometown of Warangal for his last rites.
India’s External Affairs Minister, Sushma Swaraj has promised to help the family.
The Consul General of India in Chicago said their officials are in touch with Mr Koppu's family to assist them with the repatriation of the dead body to India.
Mr Koppu’s death comes at the back of “racially-motivated” killing of 32-year-old Srinivas Kuchibhotla who was shot dead in a bar in Kansas City where he had been with his friends last year.
A retired US Navy veteran, Adam W Purinton shouted: “get out of my country” before firing his weapon at Mr Kuchibhotla.
Srinivas Kuchibhotla was shot dead in a bar in Kansas City in February 2017. Source: Facebook
