(MENAFN- Live Mint) A 23-year-old man from Texas, Richard Florez, has been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of an Indian student Chandrashekar Pole at a gas station in Fort Worth on Friday night, a tragic incident that has left the Indian-American community in the area shocked and deeply concerned, according to PTI.

According to police , Florez allegedly shot Pole while he was working a part-time job, then fled the scene. A short time later, Florez fired at another vehicle about a mile away, though no one was injured. He then crashed into a gate while trying to enter a home on Meadowbrook Drive, they added. Officers arrested him soon after and found a firearm from his vehicle.

“They also recovered a gun inside the vehicle at that scene... suspect is currently in the hospital, but he has been booked for the homicide,” NBCDFW quoted Officer Brad Perez, a Fort Worth Police spokesperson as saying on Monday.

The Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office has confirmed Chandrashekar Pole's identity and said that he was declared dead at the scene.

Officials from both Fort Worth and Tarrant County indicated that a formal statement and additional details from the investigation have been delayed due to a shutdown affecting local government operations. Authorities stated that the investigation is still ongoing and that the motive behind the shooting remains unclear.

The Consulate General of India in Houston confirmed they are in touch with Pole's family and are working to facilitate the return of his body to India.

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“Consulate General of India, Houston, deeply condoles the tragic death of Mr. Chandrasekhar Pole, an Indian student from Hyderabad, who was killed in a shooting incident Denton, Texas. We are in touch with the family and extending all possible assistance. Local authorities are investigating the incident, and we are following up closely with them,” India in Houston mentioned on X.

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Chandrashekar had earned his Bachelor of Dental Surgery in Hyderabad before moving to the United States two years ago to pursue a Master's degree, his brother Damodar told reporters following the incident. He was studying Data Analytics at the University of North Texas in Denton.

According to his brother, Chandrashekar had completed his degree six months earlier and was actively searching for a job. In the meantime, he was working part-time at a gas station to support himself.

(With inputs from PTI)

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