FBI says probing shooting of two Indian men in Kansas as a hate crime

The Federal Bureau of Investigation said on Tuesday it was investigating the shooting last week of two Indian workers at a bar in Kansas as a hate crime.

A white U.S. Navy veteran has been charged in the shooting, which resulted in the death of one of the men and the wounding of the other, as well as an American who sought to intervene.

"Based upon the initial investigative activity, the FBI, in conjunction with the U.S. Attorney's Office and the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, is investigating this incident as a hate crime," the FBI said in a statement.

"The FBI will continue to work jointly with Olathe Police Department and our state and local partners regarding this ongoing investigation. As this is an ongoing investigation, we are not able to comment further at this time."

Adam Purinton, 51, is accused of killing Srinivas Kuchibhotla, 32, and wounding Alok Madasani, also 32, as well as the American who tried to intervene last week at Austins Bar and Grill in Olathe, a Kansas City suburb.

(Reporting by Timothy Ahmann in Washington and Timothy McLaughlin in Chicago; Editing by Eric Beech and Alan Crosby)