Texas Man Arrested for Murder of Indian Student

A 23-year-old man from Texas has been arrested for the murder of an Indian student, Chandrashekar Pole, in Fort Worth. The incident occurred at a gas station on Eastchase Parkway on Friday night, where Pole, 28, was working part-time. The suspect, Richard Florez from North Richland Hills, allegedly shot Pole and fled the scene. He later fired at another vehicle nearby but did not injure anyone. Florez was apprehended after crashing into a gate while trying to enter a residence on Meadowbrook Drive. Police recovered a firearm from his vehicle.

Officer Brad Perez from the Fort Worth Police stated, "They also recovered a gun inside the vehicle at that scene... The suspect is currently in the hospital, but he has been booked for the homicide." The Tarrant County Medical Examiner confirmed that Pole was pronounced dead at the scene. The investigation is ongoing, and the motive for the shooting remains unclear.

The Consulate General of India in Houston is in contact with Pole's family to assist in repatriating his remains to India. A GoFundMe campaign has been initiated to support this effort and help the grieving family. Pole had completed his Bachelor of Dental Surgery in Hyderabad and moved to the US two years ago to pursue a Master's in Data Analytics at the University of North Texas, Denton. He had recently completed his degree and was looking for a job while working part-time at the gas station.

The Indian-American community has expressed shock and fear following this incident, highlighting concerns over the safety of international students in the US, particularly those working late hours. This incident is part of a troubling trend, as there have been several violent incidents involving Indian students in the US in recent months. In January, a 26-year-old student from Telangana was shot dead in Connecticut, and another man from Ranga Reddy district was found dead with bullet wounds. In September, a 30-year-old man from Mahabubnagar was shot by police in California after a confrontation with his roommate. These events have raised serious safety concerns for Indian students studying abroad.