Sharath Koppu, a 25-year-old Indian male, was a graduate student pursuing a master's degree at the University of Missouri-Kansas City when his life was cut short on July 6, 2018. He was working a part-time shift at J's Fish and Chicken Market, located on Prospect Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri, to help fund his education. On that Friday evening, a man entered the restaurant and demanded money, initiating an attempted robbery.
While other employees and customers ducked for cover behind the counter, Koppu ran towards the back of the store, possibly out of fear or a misunderstanding of the robber's commands. The assailant opened fire, striking the student in the back. He was transported to a nearby hospital but later succumbed to his injuries.
Local authorities immediately launched a homicide investigation, releasing surveillance footage from the restaurant that showed the suspect pacing the establishment moments before the shooting. The video prompted tips from the community, leading detectives to identify the shooter as Marlin James Mack. Mack had an extensive criminal history, having previously served prison time for robbery and assault. The police intensified their search, eventually tracking him to a motel in eastern Kansas City on July 15, 2018, roughly a week after the murder.
When undercover detectives approached the motel to apprehend him, Mack engaged them with a high-powered rifle, wounding two officers before fleeing the scene in a vehicle with an accomplice. A high-speed chase ensued through the city streets, during which Mack fired upon pursuing law enforcement. The pursuit ended at a residence where Mack took a defensive position and continued to exchange gunfire with police, injuring a third officer during the standoff. The confrontation concluded when Mack was fatally shot by return fire from the officers. The accomplice found in the vehicle was taken into custody, but the death of the primary suspect brought an end to the manhunt, closing the case on the tragic death of the university student.
