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Indian-origin teen charged with killing family in Texas
Authorities have not disclosed a motive as investigators continue to probe the fatal shootings.
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Malvika Choudhary - Sun, 21, Jun 2026
- 11:41 EDT
- 46
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Representative image / unsplash
An Indian-origin teenager has been charged with capital murder after allegedly fatally shooting his parents and grandmother at their home in Alton, Texas, authorities said.
Gaurav Chopra, 19, was arrested following the June 16 shooting and subsequently charged with capital murder of multiple persons and attempted murder, according to local news reports. He also faces a charge of evading arrest.
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The victims were identified as Chopra's father, Sweera Ram, 56, mother, Kamlesh Rani, 46, and grandmother, Minder Kaur, 76. All three died from gunshot wounds to the head, Hidalgo County Sheriff Eddie Guerra said.
According to local news reports, Chopra allegedly opened fire on his family members inside their Alton residence before fleeing the scene. His brother, who was also shot but survived, called 911 and informed authorities that Chopra had attacked the family.
When deputies arrived at the home, they found two victims dead. A third victim was transported to a hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
Authorities launched a pursuit after locating Chopra's vehicle. The chase ended when his vehicle crashed into another car, injuring two people, who were hospitalized. Police later took Chopra into custody and recovered a handgun from his vehicle that investigators believe may have been used in the shooting.
Chopra appeared in court on June 18 and was formally charged with capital murder of multiple persons and attempted murder. No bond was set for those charges. Court records show his bond on the evading arrest charge was set at $250,000.
Authorities have not disclosed a motive for the killings. Asked whether Chopra was cooperating with investigators, Guerra said the suspect had made allegations that were "not accurate."
Investigators also said they had received no previous complaints or calls for service involving the Chopra family residence.
Chopra is a student at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. In a statement, the university said it was aware that a current student had been identified in an off-campus criminal investigation and would cooperate with law enforcement authorities. The institution declined to comment further, citing the ongoing investigation.
The case remains under investigation.
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