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GoFundMe launched for slain Indian student in Texas as suspect arrested
Friends raise over $43,000 to repatriate Chandrashekar Pole’s body to Hyderabad amid ongoing investigation.
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Pranavi Sharma - Tue, 07, Oct 2025
- 03:12 EDT
- 27
Pole, originally from Hyderabad, had moved to the United States in 2023 after completing a bachelor’s degree in dental surgery. He / Gofundme/lochan Sai Reddy Chinthaparthy
A fundraising campaign has been launched to repatriate the body of 28-year-old Indian student Chandrashekar Pole, who was shot dead while working a part-time shift at a Fort Worth gas station on Oct. 3. The GoFundMe campaign, titled “Repatriate Chandrashekar's Body to India and Help His Family”, has raised over $43,000 of its $50,000 goal from more than 1,700 donors.
ALSO READ: Indian student shot dead at Dallas gas station
Police in Fort Worth have arrested 23-year-old Richard Florez of North Richland Hills in connection with the killing, NBCDFW reported. According to officials, Florez allegedly shot Pole at a gas station on Eastchase Parkway before fleeing the scene. He later fired at another vehicle about a mile away and crashed his car into a residential gate on Meadowbrook Drive, where officers arrested him and recovered a firearm.
The Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed Pole’s identity and said he was pronounced dead at the scene. A formal statement from Fort Worth authorities has been delayed due to a local government shutdown, but police said the investigation is ongoing and the motive remains unclear.
Pole, originally from Hyderabad, had moved to the United States in 2023 after completing a bachelor’s degree in dental surgery. He recently earned a master’s in data analytics from the University of North Texas in Denton and was seeking full-time employment while supporting himself through night shifts at the gas station.
“We are raising funds to send Chandrashekar back home to India so his parents can see him one last time and perform his final rites,” the GoFundMe page states. “Every contribution, no matter how small, will help his grieving family in this unimaginable time.”
The Consulate General of India in Houston said it is in contact with Pole’s family and coordinating with local authorities to expedite the repatriation process.
The killing has reignited concerns among the Indian community over the safety of international students working late-night shifts in the United States.
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