Sun Mar 23 06:40:46 UTC 2025: ## Virginia Convenience Store Shooting Leaves Indian Father and Daughter Dead
**Accomack County, VA –** A 24-year-old Indian woman and her 56-year-old father were fatally shot Thursday morning at a convenience store in Accomack County, Virginia. Urmi Patel and her father, Pradeep Patel, were working at the store, owned by a relative, when 44-year-old George Frazier Devon Wharton allegedly opened fire.
Police reports indicate Wharton, who had arrived at the store early to purchase liquor, became agitated when it was closed. Following a confrontation, he reportedly shot the Patels. Pradeep Patel died at the scene, while Urmi Patel succumbed to her injuries at a local hospital.
Wharton has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder, along with other felony charges related to weapons offenses.
The Patel family, originally from Mehsana district in Gujarat, India, immigrated to the US six years ago. The victims’ family members in India and the US are devastated by the tragedy. Paresh Patel, the store owner and relative of the victims, expressed his grief in an interview with WAVY TV, stating he was shocked and distraught. The family’s remaining daughters reside in Canada and Ahmedabad, India.
This double homicide follows a similar incident months ago, in which another Indian-origin man running a convenience store in North Carolina was killed during a robbery. The recent events have shaken the Indian community in the US, highlighting concerns about the safety of small business owners.
First Piper 