Indian youth among three killed in Cincinnati bank shooting, gunman shot dead
Cincinati, Sept 7 (IBNS): A 25-year-old Indian man was among three people killed after a gunman opened fire in a bank headquarters in Cincinnati on Thursday, media reports said.
Police shot dead the gunman. Two more persons were injured in the attack.
Local media reports quoted police chief Chief Eliot Isaac as saying that the shooter opened fire just after 9 a.m. local time at a 30-story building home to the corporate headquarters for regional banker Fifth Third Bancorp and other businesses, including popular ice cream, pastry and sandwich shops.
The bank building was locked down for most of the morning, and the usually crowded surrounding streets and sidewalks were closed off.
The Hamilton County Coroner's Office identified Pruthvi Raj Kandepi, 25, an Indian youth and Luis Felipe Calderón, 48, as two of the victims.
Gilbane Building Company said one of its employees, 64-year-old Richard Newcomer, was killed in the shooting.
Kandepi hailed from Guntur in Andhra Pradesh.
Telugu Desam Party MP Jayadev Galla said he would talk to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to her support to bring back Kandepi's body back to India.
"Deeply saddened to hear about the tragic death of Tenali resident, Pruthviraj Kandepi, in Cincinnati earlier today. I will speak to External Affairs Minister, Smt Sushma Swaraj and extend support to bring his body back to India. My deepest condolences to his entire family," Galla tweeted.
Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley said the gunman was "actively shooting innocent victims" and that it was a "horrific" scene.
Police later identified the suspect as 29-year-old Omar Enrique Perez. Perez, a Cincinnati-area resident since 2015, wasn't a current or past Fifth Third employee, according to police.
The gunman, who was believed to have acted alone, had a significant amount of ammunition on him. The gun he used was legally purchased, based on the information police have so far, Isaac said.
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