FBI investigating shootings of Indian men in Kansas as hate crime

Adam Purinton, 51, accused of killing Srinivas Kuchibhotla, 32, and wounding Alok Madasani, 32, as well as an American who tried to intervene, appears with his public defender Michelle R. Durrett (R) via video conference from jail during his initial court appearance in Olathe, Kansas, US, February 27, 2017. [Photo/Agencies]

On Tuesday, the White House said it was looking more like the shooting was based on race.

"As more facts come to light and it begins to look like thiswas an act of racially motivated hatred, we want to reiterate that the president condemns these or any other racially or religiously motivated attacks in the strongest terms," White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told reporters.

The Indian Embassy in Washington previously expressed concern to the US government over the shooting and requested athorough investigation. Officials there could not be reached forcomment on Tuesday.

Purinton was arrested hours after the shooting at an Applebee's restaurant in Clinton, Missouri, about 80 miles (130km) south of Olathe.

According to a recording of a 911 call made by a bartenderat the Applebee's, Purinton said he needed to hide because hehad killed two Iranian men, local NBC affiliate KSHB-TV reported.

On Tuesday, Grillot, 24, who is being treated at a KansasCity hospital with gunshot wounds to his hand and chest, told anews briefing that Purinton told him before the shootings thathe was surprised Grillot was standing up for two foreigners.

Grillot said he helped escort Purinton out of the bar abouta half hour before the shooting. "He was saying, 'You're goingto stick up for them and not me?'" Grillot recalled. Grillot waslater shot when he tried to pursue Purinton.

Dozens of people gathered in the Indian city of Hyderabad on Tuesday for the funeral of Kuchibhotla.

Reuters