US: Indian-origin woman shot dead by man during robbery
What's the story
A 21-year-old man has been arrested and charged with the murder of a Gujarati woman in South Carolina, United States. The suspect, Zaedan Mack Hill, was apprehended after an hours-long standoff with law enforcement. The incident took place on September 16 when Kiran Patel (49), an Indian-origin woman managing a gas station-cum-convenience store in Union County, was shot dead by Hill.
Incident overview
Hill shot Patel before she could hand over cash
According to a GoFundMe page, the shooting happened at 10:30pm on September 16. Hill allegedly approached Patel and "climbed onto the cash register." He shot her before she could hand over any cash. The GoFundMe account stated, "During the firing, Kiran Patel threw something like a plastic bottle at the robber and ran away, and the robber also ran after her."
Tragic end
Hill fled the scene but returned to fire another shot
The account further detailed how Patel threw a plastic bottle at Hill and ran for her life. Despite this, she was shot and fell down, barely 20 feet away. After shooting her, Hill fled the scene but returned to fire another shot at an unconscious Patel lying on the ground.
Arrest details
Hill was apprehended after an hours-long standoff with police
On Thursday, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, SWAT, and Union Public Safety executed a search warrant at a residence on South Church Street. They had an arrest warrant for Hill. A standoff ensued between Hill and law enforcement agencies, but was resolved after several hours. Eventually, SWAT officers managed to take him into custody from inside the house.