Indian-origin teen shoots parents, grandmother in US, caught after car chase

The officials have identified Chopra as a student at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. In a statement, the university said it was aware of the current situation and would cooperate with law enforcement.

In Short

• The accused allegedly shot three family members and injured his surviving brother
• Officers found two victims dead while the father died in hospital
• Police arrested him after a chase that injured two other people

A 19-year-old man from Texas, United States, accused of killing his parents and grandmother in a triple shooting, appeared in court on capital murder charges and was denied bail.

As per a report by KRGV 5 News, the accused, identified as Gaurav Chopra, allegedly shot his father Sweera Ram (56), his mother Kamlesh Rani (46), and his grandmother Minder Kaur (73). He also opened fire at his brother, who survived the attack and gave a call to 911.

The police rushed to the spot as soon as they learnt about the incident. Upon their arrival, they found two victims dead, and the accused fled from the scene. The police took the third victim (Sweera Ram) to the hospital, where he died while undergoing treatment.

The arrest of Chopra followed a dramatic car chase which led to the hospitalisation of two people, whose car was hit by Chopra’s overspeeding car. After taking Chopra into custody, the police found a handgun in his car and suspect that the murder was committed by that weapon.

Chopra appeared in court on Thursday and was charged with capital murder of multiple persons and attempted murder. No bond was granted on those charges. He also faces a charge of evading arrest.

Authorities have not disclosed a motive. Hidalgo County Sheriff Eddie Guerra said the suspect made claims during the investigation that investigators did not consider accurate. Police also said there had been no previous calls to the family’s residence.

Officials identified Chopra as a student at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. In a statement, the university said it was aware that a current student had been identified in an off-campus criminal investigation and would cooperate with law enforcement while directing case-related questions to investigating agencies.

- Ends