Officials said the shooting was the result of an altercation that occurred when the accused came to the property looking to rent a room.

An elderly Indian-origin motel owner was shot dead in US state of Alabama following a confrontation over room rental. According to Sheffield Police Chief Ricky Terry, accused William Jeremy Moore, 34, was arrested for the killing 76-year-old Pravin Raojibhai Patel, the owner of the Hillcrest Motel. Officials said the shooting was the result of an altercation that occurred when Moore came to the property looking to rent a room. Moore was arrested shortly after the incident as he was trying to break into an abandoned house on 13th Avenue, Sheffield Police said.

When searching Mr. Moore, the murder weapon was found in his possession. The police chief added that Moore is currently being held in the Sheffield City Jail until a warrant is issued after which he will be transported to the Colbert County Jail.

Jemeriz Owens, who works as a barber across the street from Patel’s motel, told WAAY 31 news channel that he heard three gunshots go off back-to-back. “He (Patel) was outside. He was just trying to get somebody to leave, and they didn’t want to leave and they shot him,” Owens said.

According to foreign media, Patel’s body was transported to the Alabama Forensics Lab for an autopsy and a funeral service was held for him at Morrison Funeral Home in Tuscumbia on February 12.

Asian American Hotel Owners Association reacts

Calling the incident a “senseless act of violence”, the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) said on Thursday that the country’s hotel owners are “deeply saddened, shocked, and outraged”. “Senseless acts of violence have no place in our communities, and our hearts are breaking for Pravin’s family, including his wife, children, and grandchildren,” said AAHOA Chairman Bharat Patel.

“No family should have to endure what Pravin’s family is going through, and we send our condolences to everyone who knew and loved him.”

Hoping that authorities will help the Patel family find justice, AAHOA Alabama Regional Director Sanjay M Patel said the motel owner spent more than four decades in the town of Sheffield, owning and operating the same business. “He was a very family-oriented person, jolly, and a keen businessman. Everyone in town knew him as a familiar face in the community after being there for 40-plus years, and the family was well-known in the community for being genuine and caring,” Sanjay Patel said.

Indian-American couple from Kerala, their twins found dead

An Indian-American couple from Kerala, Anand Sujith Henry and Alice Priyanka, along with their four-year-old twins, were tragically found dead in their $2.1 million mansion in San Mateo, California. The couple was discovered in a bathroom with gunshot wounds, while their children were found unharmed in the bedroom. Anand, a former software engineering manager at Meta and Google, and Alice, a senior analyst, were well-respected professionals in their fields. The community is in shock and mourning over this devastating loss. Investigations are underway to determine the circumstances surrounding this tragic incident, as authorities work to bring justice to the victims and their grieving loved ones.