Indian-origin man and daughter shot dead in US department store

Two Indians, a father and his daughter, were shot dead by 44-year-old George David Frazier Wharton inside their department store in Accomack County in Virginia, US.

Wharton has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder, including felony and arms laws.

The crime

On March 20, Pradipkumar Patel (56) and his daughter Urmi Patel (24) had just opened and manning their department store in Accomack County in Virginia, when Wharton entered..

Also read: Man shot down after taking hostages in Pennsylvania hospital; 1 officer killed

According to media reports, Wharton walked into the store in the early morning hours at 5 am, to buy liquor, and demanded to know why the store was closed at night.

He then opened fire at the father-daughter duo. While Pradeep Patel died on the spot, his daughter Urmi succumbed to her injuries at the hospital.

Indians from Gujarat

The store was owned by a relative, Paresh Patel who later told the media in Virginia, “My cousin's wife and her dad were working this morning. Some guy came here and just shot (them). I don't know what to do."

Pradeep Patel, his wife Hansaben and their daughter Urmi are from Gujarat's Mehsana district and moved to the US six years ago. They had been working at the convenience store owned by a relative, Paresh Patel.

Also read: Suspects at large after twelve injured in Toronto pub shooting

George Frazier Devon Wharton of Onancock was held in Accomack Jail without a bond. According to Sheriff W Todd Wessells, Wharton was charged with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, possession of a firearm by a felon and two counts of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, as per media reports.

Also read: Dog accidentally shoots owner in the leg in Memphis, US

Patel family

This incident has deeply disturbed the Gujarati community in the US and also shaken up their relatives in India. Pradeep’s uncle, Chandu Patel, a leader of the Kadva Patidar community in Kanoda vilage in Mehsana in Gujarat said that their family found out about the gruesome killings through media reports.

"We knew from local media reports and a viral video that they were shot dead. We spoke to his daughter and she told us everything," he added. The Patels have two more daughter, one living in Canada while the other lives in Ahmedabad.

Urmi got married to Ashok Patel three years ago and he said that it’s likely their final rites will be performed in the US.

The double murder has shaken up the Indian community in the US.

This comes in the wake of the murder of Mainank Patel, a 36-year-old Indian-origin man running a convenience store in North Carolina. He was shot dead during a robbery on the premises.