Texas Man Who Shot Indian Student At US Gas Station Arrested, Booked For Homicide

The law enforcement officials in the US have arrested a 23-year-old man accused of killing a student from Hyderabad at a Dallas gas station last week.

The suspect has been identified as Richard Florez, who allegedly shot 28-year-old Chandrashekar Pole while the latter was working a part-time shift, before fleeing the spot.

The incident took place at a Fort Worth gas station on Eastchase Parkway on Friday night. After the shooting, Florez, from North Richland Hills, had reportedly fired at another vehicle without injuring anyone and later crashed into a gate while he was trying to enter a nearby residence on Meadowbrook Drive, the police said.

Officers also reportedly recovered a gun from his vehicle. "They also recovered a gun inside the vehicle at that scene... The suspect is currently in the hospital, but he has been booked for homicide," Officer Brad Perez, a Fort Worth Police spokesperson, was quoted as saying by NBCDFW.

Officials from Fort Worth and Tarrant County noted that a formal statement and further investigative details have been delayed due to a local government shutdown.

Authorities said the investigation is ongoing and the motive behind the shooting has not yet been determined.

Former Telangana minister and BRS MLA T Harish Rao confirmed the student's death on Saturday, calling it a "heartbreaking loss". Rao also visited the victim's family in Hyderabad to offer condolences.

According to reports, Pole had completed his Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) in India and had gone to the US to pursue higher studies in Data Analytics at the University of North Texas, Dallas. He was working part-time at a gas station when the incident occurred.

The family of the deceased had confirmed the incident and urged the government to assist in repatriating his body to Hyderabad.

"He went to the US to pursue a master's in 2023...He did a part-time job at a gas station. We received information that he was shot dead by unknown persons at the gas station. We request the central and state governments to bring the mortal remains of my brother to India and take action against the person who shot my brother," the victim's brother had said.

Sharing details about the incident, Pole’s mother said, "…We got to know about his death from his friend's parents, who visited us and shared our grief. We've come to know that he was shot by black people. We request the central and state governments to ensure the safety of Indians and bring my son's body back home as soon as possible." (With agency inputs)

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