Indian Man and Daughter Killed in US Store Shooting; Accused Charged with First-Degree Murder

This article discusses the tragic shooting of an Indian man and his daughter at a convenience store in Virginia, US. Pradeep Patel, 56, and his 24-year-old daughter, Urmi, who had moved from Gujarat six years prior, were killed shortly after the store opened on Thursday. The accused, George Frazier Devon Wharton, 44, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and other offenses.

According to reports, Wharton entered the store early Thursday morning to buy liquor and inquired why the store was closed at night, before opening fire. Pradeep Patel died at the scene, while Urmi succumbed to her injuries in the hospital. The incident has deeply affected the Patel family and the Indian community, both in the US and in their hometown of Mehsana, Gujarat.