Veteran arrested: Navy veteran Adam Purinton, 51, is accused of shooting dead an Indian engineer, whom he alleged mistook for a Middle Eastern person, and injuring two other people at a bar in Olathe, Kansas

A white US Navy veteran has been arrested for allegedly killing an Indian immigrant engineer and wounding two others at a crowded sports bar.

Adam Purinton, 51, was taken into custody at a bar in an Applebee's in Clinton, Missouri, after telling an employee he had just shot 'Middle Eastern' men and needed a place to hide.

He was arrested about five hours after police say he opened fire at Austin's Bar and Grill in Olathe, Kansas.

The deadly confrontation began unfolding inside the lounge at around 7.15pm on Wednesday and later spilled out into the parking lot.

Police say Purinton shot and killed Srinivas Kuchibhotla, an engineer at Garmin, wounded his colleague Alok Madasani.

He then fired at a third man, identified as Ian Grillot, who had tried to intervene.

At least one witness said Purtinton yelled 'get out of my country' and claimed he heard him screaming racial slurs before opening fire, according to Kansas City Star.

The 51-year-old veteran apparently thought Kuchibhotla and Madasani were Middle Eastern, although in reality both men were of Indian decent.

Kuchibhotla died at an area hospital and Alok Madasani and Ian Grillot were hospitalized, the latter suffering from wounds to his hand and shoulder.

Scroll down for video

Victims: Srinivas Kuchibhotla (left), an engineer at Garmin, was killed in the shooting. His colleague Alok Madasani (right) suffered injuries

God Samaritan: Ian Grillot, pictured above in a photo collage shared on a GoFundMe campaign, was shot in the hand and shoulder when he tried to stop the gunman

Garret Bohnen, a bartender at Austins, confirmed to the Star that Kuchibhotla and Madasani worked at the Olathe-based GPS maker Garmin and would come the bar for a drink once or twice a week.

'From what I understand when he was throwing racial slurs at the two gentlemen, Ian stood up for them,' Bohnen said. 'We're all proud of him.'

The shooting happened while people were watching the University of Kansas-TCU basketball game at Austins, said Olathe Police Sgt. Logan Bonney.

Purinton was taken into custody just after midnight on Thursday morning at an Applebee's about 70 miles to the southeast in Clinton, Missouri, authorities said.

Assistant Clinton Police Chief Sonny Lynch said an Applebee's bartender summoned police to the bar where the man was drinking because he said he'd been involved in a shooting.

Crime scene: Police say Purinton opened fire at Austin's Bar and Grill in Olathe, Kansas, while patrons were watching a basketball game on TV

The unarmed Purinton was taken into custody and interviewed by detectives from Olathe.

'He mentioned he had been involved in a shooting and we went out there and picked him up,' Lynch said.

The murder suspect waived extradition from Henry County on Thursday and was expected to be returned to Kansas, said Maj. Rob Hills of the Henry County Sheriff's Office.

Tragic loss: Kuchibhotla had a Master's degree and was hired by Garmin International in 2014 to manage the company’s helicopter programs

Officials at Garmin International have confirmed that the deceased victim and his co-worker were part of the company's Aviation Systems Engineering team.

Kuchibhotla had a Master's degree in electrical and electronics engineering from University of Texas at El Paso and was hired by Garmin International in 2014 to manage the company’s helicopter programs.

According to a GoFundMe campaign started by a friend, Kuchibhotla is survived by his wife, Sunayana.

'Srini was the kindest person you would meet, full of love, care and compassion for everyone,’ read the fundraiser's description. ‘He never uttered a word of hatred, a simple gossip, or a careless comment. He was brilliant, well mannered and simply an outstanding human being.’

Madasani, a graduate of University of Missouri at Kansas City, started at Garmin around the same time as Kuchibhotla and worked as aviation program coordinator.

Ian Grillot's sisters have also started a GoFundMe campaign, writing that he was shot while standing up for two men who were being mistreated.