VADODARA/ ANAND: An NRI from Anand district was shot dead by assailants at his convenience store in the United States (US).
Fifty-two-year-old Preyas Patel, who hails from Sojitra town of Anand district, along with an American national identified as Logan Edward Thomas, 35, was found with gunshot wounds at the store located near Fairway Plaza shopping centre in Virginia.
The shooting took place around midnight on Wednesday. The duo who were fatally wounded were pronounced dead at the crime scene after the local police reached the store.
Patel, who was fondly called Cheekoo by his friends, was trying to help an employee in his store when he himself turned into a victim of the violent crime.
Patel ran the convenience store named 7 Eleven near the shopping centre. Sources said that Patel, a native of Navadhara area of Sojitra, had moved to the US over a decade ago. His father Deva Patel belongs to Sojitra. Patel's relatives who reside in Anand have left for the US after learning about his death.
His younger brother Tejas Patel, who is president of BJP's Vallabh Vidyanagar unit, along with his parents left for the US on Thursday, sources close to the family said.
A resident of Virginia's New Port, Patel was known by the nickname Peter.
Sources said that police are investigating the shoot out further to identify the assailants.
