An Indian-origin man, Gaurav Chopra, 19, was arrested by local police after he allegedly killed his parents and grandmother in Alton, Texas, in the United States.
Chopra was taken into custody on murder charges after he allegedly opened fire on his family members at their home in Alton on Tuesday, June 16, according to KRGC 5, a local news outlet. His brother, who was also injured in the shooting but survived, called the police and told them that Chopra had shot their family members and fled the scene.
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The chase after the shooting
Police chased Chopra’s vehicle, but the pursuit ended in a crash when his car struck two people, who were also hospitalised.
The three people killed in the shooting were identified as Chopra’s father, Sweeta Ram (56), mother, Kamlesh Rani (46), and grandmother, Minder Kaur (76).
Chopra was formally charged on June 18 on charges of capital murder of multiple persons and attempted murder. Bond was not set for those charges. He also faces a charge of evading arrest, for which his bond was set at $250,000, the report said.
What police say on motives behind killings?
All three victims died from gunshot wounds to the head, Hidalgo County Sheriff Eddie Guerra said.
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Police said they had not received any previous complaints from the Chopra household. Chopra is a student at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. The university said it is cooperating with investigators but could not provide further details about the case.
Authorities have not disclosed a motive for the killings. When asked whether Chopra was cooperating with investigators, Guerra said the suspect had made allegations that were “not accurate.”
