Indian-American shot dead in California

Washington, April 14 (IANS) A 20-year-old Indian-American, who migrated to the US from Jalandhar in India's Punjab state with his parents seven years ago, has been shot dead in Fremont, California, sending shock waves in the community.

Rahul Sharma was shot in the head while standing in the driveway of his apartment complex at Central Avenue in Centerville at 10.54 p.m. April 5, according to Fremont Police which identified the victim Friday.

Investigators have few leads, the San Jose Mercury News reported citing detective Bill Veteran.

"Somebody there said they might have heard an argument before the shooting. But we haven't confirmed there was one yet," Veteran said.

Witnesses reported they heard a man and a woman arguing outside an apartment complex, followed by several gunshots, reports state.

Arriving officers found Sharma in the driveway to the complex with a gunshot wound to the head. He was transported to the Regional Medical Center of San Jose where he was pronounced dead, police said.

Police said the area has become a centralised place for increased gang activity. However, they could not confirm whether this shooting was gang-related.

On Friday, Fremont police released a composite sketch of a possible suspect who was described as an African-American man in his 20s, wearing a white T-shirt and earrings in both ears.

Sharma was working towards his General Educational Development (GED) certificate at Fremont school district's Adult and Continuing Education programme.

"My son was a good boy who wanted to go to school and do good things," said his mother, Davinder Sharma, in an emailed statement from the family to the San Jose Mercury News.

In a statement, the North American Punjabi Association condemned the murder and demanded a high-level inquiry.

(Arun Kumar can be contacted at arun.kumar@ians.in)