Government & Politics
Widow of Austins shooting victim to attend Trump’s State of Union address
Sunayana Dumala, the widow of a victim in the alleged hate crime shooting at Austins Bar & Grill in Olathe, will be a guest at President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address on Tuesday.
The office of U.S. Rep. Kevin Yoder of Kansas confirmed Sunday that Dumala, who is the widow of Srinivas Kuchibhotla, will attend as Yoder’s guest.
Each year, I have the privilege of inviting one guest to attend the President's State of the Union Address. This year, I have invited Sunayana Dumala, widow of Srinivas Kuchibhotla, the Indian immigrant who was tragically killed in the hate crime shooting last year at in Olathe. pic.twitter.com/FeIZHvPcc5
— Rep. Kevin Yoder (@RepKevinYoder) January 27, 2018
Adam W. Purinton faces a state murder charge in Johnson County and federal hate crime charges in the February 2017 killing of Kuchibhotla and the wounding of two other men.
Prior to the shooting, Purinton allegedly yelled, “Get out of my country.”
In an interview earlier this month, Dumala said she has devoted herself to espousing love and positivity in her husband’s name.
“I can’t let people forget him,” Dumala said. “That is what is making me spread his legacy, and I hope I’m getting there. I hope I succeed and the name Srinivas Kuchibhotla stays there forever.
“People can forget me, but not forget him.”
In a guest commentary in The Star Sunday, Dumala said she saw the worst and the best in America when her husband was killed.
Dumala has launched Forever Welcome, a social media initiative on Facebook to spread a message of unity, love and acceptance and to ensure that the U.S. is a safe place for current and future immigrants.
“Srinu and I dreamed many dreams together,” she wrote. “I will continue to do whatever I can, in large ways or small, to give other Srinus and Sunayanas the opportunity to safely dream their American dreams together too.”
Robert A. Cronkleton: 816-234-4261, @cronkb
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