An Indian engineer was shot dead at a Kansas bar on February 23. Ian Grillot, a 24-year-old American, was also having a drink when the gunman, 51-year-old Adam Purinton, allegedly started shouting racist slurs and opened fire at Srinivas Kuchibhotla and his colleague Alok Madasani. Grillot stepped in to defend the pair by trying to overpower Purinton, but got shot in his chest and hand.
Grillot is currently undergoing treatment and is now known as the Kansas shooting hero. He has also taken social media by storm with thousands of people applauding and thanking him for his bravery.
Here are the night's events in Grillot's words
According to the Daily Beast, when Purinton started shooting, Grillot ducked beneath a table and counted the shots. He thought that he had heard nine shots and the magazine was empty. "So, I got up and proceeded to chase him down. I wasn't really thinking when I did that. It was just, it wasn't right, and I didn't want the gentleman to potentially go after somebody else," Grillot recalled.
But still he doesn't wants to be called a hero.
"It's not like that. I just did what I felt was naturally right to do. I was just doing what anyone should have done for another human being. It's not about where he's from, or ethnicity. We're all humans," Grillot said.
"I guess I miscounted with everything going on. His shot barely missed my carotid artery I guess and fractured one of my vertebrae," he added.
Grillot considers himself lucky as doctors say that he could have died or left paralysed.
A GoFundMe page for Grilot's treatment
While a GoFundMe page raised $523,505 to help Kuchibhotla's family in arranging funeral expenses related to taking the body back to India, another GoFundMe page has been set up by Grillot's sister Maggie to meet his medical expenses. While the initial goal of the page was to raise $25,000, it has already crossed $300,000.
Celebrity reactions to Grillot's heroism
From External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to Glennon Doyle Melton, the author of Love Warrior (a New York Times bestseller) and others like Phillip Sheppard, a retired veteran and former federal agent, each of them have praised Grillot for his bravery.
India salutes the heroism of Ian Grillot ! Best wishes for a speedy recovery.
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) February 27, 2017
Thank you, Ian Grillot. https://t.co/0cnYnLGOmP
— Glennon Doyle Melton (@Momastery) February 26, 2017
"After a 51-year-old white man fired shots at two Indian men, killing one, 24-year-old Ian Grillot fought back.... https://t.co/KRbd2ozBmo
— Phillip Sheppard (@PSheppardTV) February 28, 2017
@KatzOnEarth Wow! You're a hero and a humanitarian Ian Grillot Sir! You saved human beings, something Trump is not!
— René Swan (@seannosnua) February 28, 2017
Grillot's personal life
Grillot, who graduated from Olathe North High School in 2010, has two sisters -- Maggie and Laura. Grillot loves fishing, plays disc golf and is a big fan of Kansas City Royals baseball and University of Kansas basketball teams.
Grillot's recovery status
According to the Kansas City Star, doctors have removed chest tube, but Grillot, for whom the weekend was tough, said that he feels sore. Grillot will remain hospitalised for a while and then will need physical therapy to recover.
