Urmi Patel (24) and her father Pradeep Patel (56) were shot dead at a Virginia store. The shooter, George Frazier Devon Wharton (44), was arrested and charged with murder. The incident has startled the Indian community following another recent fatal shooting of an Indian-origin man in a convenience store.
In a tragic incident, a 24-year-old Indian woman, Urmi Patel, and her 56-year-old father, Pradeep Patel, were fatally shot at a departmental store in Accomack County, Virginia. The shooting occurred shortly after the store opened on a Thursday morning. Local authorities arrested 44-year-old George Frazier Devon Wharton, who allegedly entered the store seeking liquor and questioned its nighttime closure before opening fire on the victims.
Pradeep Patel succumbed to injuries at the scene, while Urmi was later pronounced dead at the hospital. The Patels emigrated from Gujarat’s Mehsana district to the United States six years ago and were employed at the convenience store owned by a relative, Paresh Patel. Responding to the tragic events, Paresh Patel stated, “I don’t know what to do,” expressing his grief over losing family members in such a violent manner.
Wharton has been charged with first-degree murder along with various felony and firearms-related charges. This double murder has sent shockwaves through the Indian diaspora in the United States, particularly as it follows a similar event involving Mainank Patel, a 36-year-old Indian man who was killed during a robbery at a convenience store in North Carolina months prior.
The heinous double murder of Urmi and Pradeep Patel has deeply impacted the Indian community in the United States, underscoring ongoing concerns regarding safety in workplaces. The swift arrest of the suspect highlights law enforcement’s response to such serious crimes, yet the tragedy serves as a reminder of the vulnerability individuals may face in their places of employment.
Original Source: www.ndtv.com
