A 56-year-old Indian man living in the United States for over three decades was allegedly shot dead during an attempted robbery in Jackson, Tennessee, on Thursday night (local time).

The man, identified as Suresh Patel, was a Gujarati who lived in the US and ran a store, according to a statement from the City of Jackson Police Department shared on Facebook.

According to reports, the alleged armed robbery occurred at Ridgecrest Cellars, located at 2880 Ridgecrest Road. After an armed robber entered Patel's store, he demanded cash, police said, adding that before fleeing with the money in a white sedan, the suspect fired multiple shots inside the premises, hitting Patel, who was pronounced dead at the scene. However, his 19-year-old daughter escaped unharmed.

The shooting incident, however, left another man injured. A 70-year-old employee working at Patel's store was inside when the incident occurred. He reportedly fell during the shooting and suffered a wrist fracture.

The release stated, "At approximately 9 pm, officers responded to a call regarding a robbery and shooting in the business. According to witnesses, an unidentified suspect entered the establishment, brandished a weapon, and demanded cash from the employees. After taking the money from the employee, the suspect fired multiple shots, striking one of the store employees. The victim was found deceased and identified as Suresh Patel, a 56-year-old man.”

The statement from the City of Jackson Police Department described the suspect as a “…male wearing a gray hoodie, jeans, and black work-style boots. His face was covered with a paintball-style mask, and he was seen fleeing the business in a white sedan.”

According to a report in The Indian Express, Patel reportedly hailed from Akhaj village in Mehsana taluka and moved to the US around 30 years ago. Police Inspector AM Gehlot of Lagnaj police station, which has jurisdiction over Akhaj, said he had not yet received any information about Patel’s death. However, he noted that several families in the Patel-dominated village have relatives living abroad.

Following the incident, the Jackson Police Department has launched a manhunt for the shooter and appealed to the public to come forward with any information that could help identify the suspect.

According to a report, Patel's killing is the latest in a series of violent attacks on Gujarat-store owners and employees in the United States. In May 2025, a 30-year-old man named Paresh, alias Prince Patel, was reportedly shot dead at a gas station in Tennessee during a robbery attempt, with robbers opening fire despite being handed the cash.

Earlier this year, a Gujarati woman, Meghna Patel, was shot dead inside her store in Norfolk, Virginia. In a separate incident in September 2025, Kiran Patel, originally from Charotar, was killed in a parking lot after confronting an armed robber who had entered her store.

As the investigation continues, Patel’s killing adds to growing concerns over violent attacks targeting Indian-origin business owners in the US.

Swati Gandhi is a digital journalist with over four years of experience, specialising in international and geopolitical issues. Her work focuses on foreign policy, global power shifts, and the political and economic forces shaping international relations, with a particular emphasis on how global developments affect India. She approaches journalism with a strong belief in context-driven reporting, aiming to break down complex global events into clear, accessible narratives for a wide readership.

Previously, Swati has worked at Business Standard, where she covered a range of beats including national affairs, politics, and business. This diverse newsroom experience helped her build a strong grounding in reporting, while also strengthening her ability to work across both breaking news and in-depth explanatory stories. Covering multiple beats early in her career has helped her be informed about her current work, allowing her to connect domestic developments with wider international trends.

At Live Mint, she focuses on international and geopolitical issues through a business and economic lens, examining how global political developments, foreign policy decisions, and power shifts impact markets, industries, and India’s strategic and economic interests.

She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English (Honours) from the University of Delhi and a Master’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University. Her academic training has shaped her emphasis on precision, analytical rigour, and clarity in writing. Her interests include global political economy and the intersection of geopolitics with business.

Outside work, Swati focuses on exploring her passion and love for food. From fancy cafes to street spots, Swati explores food like a true foodie.

Stay updated with the latest Trending, India, World and US news.

Download the Mint app and read premium stories

Log in to our website to save your bookmarks. It'll just take a moment.

Oops! Looks like you have exceeded the limit to bookmark the image. Remove some to bookmark this image.