A 38-year-old Indian-origin woman in California had reported disturbing behaviour from a man who allegedly stalked her for months and later shot her dead outside a shopping centre in Sacramento, according to US authorities.
The woman, Shalini Thakur, first reported the incidents to authorities in March but initially chose not to pursue criminal charges or seek a restraining order, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office said.
Her alleged stalker, identified as 22-year-old Rohit, continued to approach and follow her. In May, sheriff’s officials again advised Thakur to seek a restraining order, which she eventually obtained. However, the order did not stop the alleged stalking, which reportedly continued as recently as July.
Investigators said the
harassment had begun at least in January 2026. Thakur had then discovered an Apple AirTag under the hood of her car. Rohit allegedly also deflated the tyres of her vehicle and followed her to work, where he pretended to offer assistance.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, Rohit had also obtained a copy of Thakur’s apartment key and entered her home while she was sleeping.
In her petition seeking the restraining order, Thakur said she knew Rohit as a DoorDash delivery driver and alleged that he would remain parked outside her home for hours and speak to her regularly.
Despite her earlier complaints and the restraining order, Thakur was shot dead on September 8 at the Arden Arcade shopping centre in Sacramento. Authorities said Rohit approached her at her car and pursued her when she tried to get away before opening fire.
Rohit fled the scene in a vehicle after the shooting. Police later located him on eastbound Highway 50 near Watt Avenue. A standoff followed, bringing traffic on the highway to a standstill for several hours.
Rohit was eventually found in the driver’s seat with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound and later died.
The US Department of Homeland Security said Rohit was an undocumented immigrant from India who entered the US through Arizona in 2023. A DHS spokesperson said he had been apprehended by US Border Patrol and released under the Biden administration. His exact immigration status was not immediately clear.
Sheriff’s spokesperson Sergeant Amar Gandhi said Rohit and Thakur worked for different employers but had known each other for a couple of years.
“He, obviously, developed a real fixation on her,” Gandhi said.
DoorDash said it was cooperating with the investigation and described the incident as an “unimaginable tragedy”.
(With inputs from agency)
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