The family of a 32-year-old Texas gas station employee is in mourning after a robber shot him to death over lottery tickets, hours after the robber allegedly killed another employee.
Gopi Krishna Dasari, a father of one, was killed in the early hours of Saturday morning when an armed robber broke into his gas station and shot him, less than a year after he moved to the United States to pursue the American dream.
Davonta Mathis, 21, of Waco, has been charged with her murder and the murder of a second gas station employee, Muhammad Hussain, 60, the day before.
Mathis told officers he had gone to stores to steal lottery tickets in hopes of winning and being able to buy an apartment. according to WFAA.
Gopi Krishna Dasari, 32, was killed in the early hours of Saturday morning when an armed robber broke into his gas station and shot him.
Dasari had moved to the United States from India less than a year ago to work and support his wife and young daughter.
His father has bone marrow cancer and sold an acre of his farmland to pay for Dasari’s move to the United States.
He worked as a gas station attendant and had “a heart full of dreams and aspirations.”
But on Saturday, Mathis burst into his store at 12:45 a.m. and confronted him.
Video footage from the store shows a man dressed in dark clothing storming in with a gun and shooting Dasari without hesitation as he backs away with his hands raised.
He was rushed to the hospital where he later died from his injuries.
Dasari was the second Mathis employee allegedly shot dead in less than 24 hours, after Hussain, 60, was killed in another nearby attack the previous day.
Investigators told WFAA that in both cases Mathis took only a few lottery tickets or cigarettes.
Dasari succumbed to his injuries after 18 hours in the hospital. His body has been flown back to India, where his family is mourning.
Video footage from the store shows a man dressed in dark clothing storming in with a gun and shooting Dasari without hesitation as he backs away with his hands up.
After his arrest, he reportedly told officers that he did not regret anything he had done and had gone to stores to steal lottery tickets in the hope of winning and being able to buy an apartment.
Mathis allegedly added that he was not racist, but blamed employees for not cooperating with him, saying a white person would have done so.
But Dasari’s relatives say he would have cooperated if he had the chance.
His cousin, Praveen, who did not want to give his full name, told WFAA: “If he had asked for something, I would have given him whatever he wanted.”
‘I would have told him to take anything… I don’t know what that guy was thinking, taking a life without realizing the impact it would have on his entire family.
“He was here to lead a good life for his family and his children and he didn’t want to let them down.”
Mathis reportedly attempted suicide after shooting Dasari, but was unable to find his gun while being chased by police.
Davonta Mathis (pictured), 21, of Waco, has been charged with her murder and a second murder of another gas station attendant, Muhammad Hussain, 60, the day before.
After Dasari was shot, a relative started a GoFundMe to help with medical expenses when he was in the hospital.
They wrote: ‘Gopi is a loving and hard-working person who has always been there for his loved ones.
“He has a heart full of dreams and aspirations, and it breaks our hearts to see him suffer.”
After he died from his injuries later that day, they shared another update, saying, “Gopi lost his life after fighting for 18 hours in the ICU and we are preparing to send his body to India as soon as possible.”
‘Gopi’s passing has left an immeasurable void in the lives of his family and friends.’