Indian-origin man, daughter fatally shot in US Virginia store, suspect arrested

A 56-year-old Indian-origin man and his 24-year-old daughter were shot and killed at a convenience store in Virginia, sending ripples of grief through the local and Indian-American communities.

Pradipkumar Patel and his daughter were working at the store on Lankford Highway in Accomack County when the fatal shooting occurred, according to police reports.

Deputies from the Accomack County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene around 5:30 a.m. on March 20 after receiving reports of a shooting victim, according to Shore Daily News. Upon arrival, officers found an unresponsive man with apparent gunshot wounds. While searching the premises, they also discovered a wounded woman.

The man was pronounced dead at the scene, while the woman — who was not immediately identified — was rushed to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, where she later succumbed to her injuries.

Later that evening, authorities arrested 44-year-old George Frazier Devon Wharton of Onancock in connection with the double homicide. He is being held without bond at Accomack Jail and faces multiple charges, including first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, possession of a firearm by a felon, and two counts of using a firearm in the commission of a felony.

Police have not yet disclosed a motive for the attack.

Paresh Patel, identified as the store’s owner, confirmed the victims were his relatives. "My cousin’s wife and her dad were working this morning when some guy came in and just shot," he was quoted as saying by WAVY-TV. "I don’t know what to do."

The brutal slayings have left the Indian-American community reeling, with news of the tragedy spreading rapidly on social media.

(With PTI inputs)