External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Sunday expressed grief over the death of an Indian student, Sharath Koppu, during an attempted robbery in Kansas City in the US, and assured all required assistance to the family of the deceased.

Sharath Koppu (25), who hails from Telangana’s Warangal, was fatally shot during a suspected incident of robbery at a restaurant in Kansas where he worked. He died shortly after being taken to a hospital on Friday.

“Kansas incident – My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family. We will follow this up with the Police and provide all assistance to the family,” Swaraj tweeted.

Kansas incident – My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family. We will follow this up with the Police and provide all assistance to the family. @IndiainChicago @IndianEmbassyUS⁩ ⁦@NavtejSarna⁩

— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 8, 2018

Kansas incident – I have spoken to Sharath’s father Shri Ram Mohan Reddy in Hyderabad to convey our heartfelt condolences. We have offered that in case a family member wishes to go to Kansas, we will facilitate the US Visa. Else we will bring the mortal remains at the earliest.

— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 8, 2018

Koppu had gone to the United States in January this year to pursue his Master’s degree.

“An Indian student became victim of shooting in Kansas City, Missouri. We r in contact with his family & police. We will provide all assistance. Our officers are also on the way to Kansas City (sic),” the Consulate General of India in Chicago had tweeted on Saturday.

The Kansas City Police have announced a reward of USD 10,000 for any information which could lead to the suspect and released a brief video of the suspect inside the restaurant moments before the shooting.

Sharath Koppu was studying in University of Missouri, Kansas City (UMKC), and worked at the restaurant where the incident occurred around 7 pm on Friday (US time). His friends informed his family in Warangal over phone on Saturday.

The police have launched a hunt to nab the suspect.

Also Read | Student from Telangana shot dead in US restaurant

Sharath was working at the restaurant, J’s Fish and Chicken Market, when he was shot. According to reports, the police found him in a critically injured state, lying in a pool of blood, and rushed him to hospital where he was declared dead on arrival.

According to media reports, while others at the restaurant ducked behind the counter seeing the armed man, Sharath tried to run and was shot in the back.

Sharath’s father Ram Mohan, who works with BSNL, has appealed to Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj and Telangana’s NRI Minister KT Rama Rao to help in bringing the body home.

Raghu Chowdavaram, Sharath’s cousin, started a campaign on a crowdfunding website, gofundme.com, on Saturday seeking financial help for the deceased’s family in Warangal. Within three hours, he had collected $25,000 against a target of $40,000.

By the time the campaign ended, Chowdavaram had been able to raise $50,892 in total, with as many as 1,595 people pitching in with help in 17 hours.

“Sharath is known to his family and friends as full of dreams, cheerful, energetic and athletic. In the pursuit of his dreams, he moved to USA to do his Masters. He had the same dreams like everyone else to make it BIG in the land of opportunity. He had a great sense of humor, and always made people laugh and was always eager to lend a helping hand,” the page read.