19-year-old Gaurav Chopra kills his father, mother, and grandmother in a shooting incident in Texas.
An Indian-origin businessman, Sweta Ram, was killed along with his wife and mother-in-law in an unprovoked shooting incident at the hands of their 19-year-old son, Gaurav Chopra, in Alton, Texas.
As Gaurav faces justice, the community in Alton and Palmview grieves the senseless violence. 56-year-old Sweta Ram was a well-known face in the community due to his local businesses.Palmview Mayor Ricardo Villarreal said Rahm was like family and a brother to him. “He was the best,” Villarreal said. “He was an energetic, motivating person who always had positive things to say. I never heard him say anything negative.”“He brought a lot of fun, food and entertainment to this city,” Villarreal said. “I knew him more as a brother than a friend.”Neighbors and friends said Rahm spoke proudly of his wife and children and often hosted get-togethers. They have seen the children grow up and cannot accept the tragedy.
Killing of parents, grandmother; Brother Missed: How a Reckless Tragedy Unfolded
On June 16, Tuesday, a 911 call came from a man who claimed that his brother, Gaurav Chopra, shot and killed their entire family and then fled the scene.
The brother was also shot, but he missed. The brother saw the bodies and Chopra at the scene. When Shubra saw him, he shot his brother, so he fled the house.The victims have been identified as 56-year-old Sweta Ram, 46-year-old Kamlesh Rani, and 76-year-old Meinder Kaur, all from Punjab, India.Rahm was still alive when officers arrived, and first aid was administered to him immediately. He was taken to a local hospital for emergency treatment, but later died from his injuries.Chopra’s arrest also included a dramatic car chase that sent two people to the hospital when Chopra crashed their car due to speeding. A gun was also found at the scene.Hidalgo County Sheriff Eddie Guerra did not reveal any motive for the murder. The family was not known to the police of any previous crime.Gaurav Chopra is a student at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. “UTRGV is aware that the suspect in an off-campus criminal investigation has been identified by law enforcement as a current student. The university is cooperating with law enforcement as appropriate,” the university said in a statement. “Because this is an active criminal investigation, questions about the case should be directed to the investigating agency.”Chopra was arraigned on charges of first-degree murder and attempted murder, and no bail has been set for those charges. Chopra also faces a charge of evading arrest and his bail has been set at $250,000.
