When a man opened fire at two Indian men in Austins Bar and Grill in Olathe, Kansas, 24-year-old Ian Grillot jumped into the line of fire to protect them. As a result, Grillot was shot: taking a bullet through his hand into his chest where, he said in a video shared the Kansas City Star, it fractured a vertebrae in his neck, narrowly missing his carotid artery.
32-year-old Srinivas Kuchibhotla and Alok Madasani, both immigrants from India in America on work visas, were shot in the attack, which the FBI is investigating as a hate crime. Kuchibhotla died in the hospital. Madasani and Grillot survived.
As Grillot continues his recovery, he spoke out from his hospital bed, calling for peace and an end to hatred.
"I'm so grateful that this is actually bringing the community together instead of driving them apart," he said, adding, "it's hopefully bringing people together, closer; bringing all groups of different ethnicities all together and kind of making everybody whole again, making everyone have faith and love for one another instead of this big divide that we've had for so long. So I just thank everybody for drawing together and supporting me and the other families affected by this. It is such a beautiful thing: I love it."
The Grillot, Madasani, and Kuchibhotla all have GoFundMe accounts set up to help relieve the burdens of medical costs, time off work, and more. Mr. Madasani's wife is 5 months pregnant.
Here are their separate Go Fund Me Accounts.
Mr. Madasani's is complete and no longer taking donations, but a separate account benefitting both men is still active here.
Family of Srinivas Kuchibhotla.
We wish these men, their friends, and loved ones all the best as they grieve and heal.
