A Sacramento woman was fatally shot by a longtime stalker. DHS says he was in the country illegally

By Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN

(CNN) — A California woman was fatally shot in Sacramento last week by a man authorities said had been stalking her for months and the Department of Homeland Security said had been living in the country illegally.

Deputies with the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office responded to a scene near a restaurant just before 3 p.m. on September 8, after several witnesses reported a shooting, the agency said in a news release.

Authorities have not publicly identified the 38-year-old victim, but CNN affiliate KCRA spoke with her mother and reported her to be Sacramento resident Shalini Thakur.

Police identified the suspect as Rohit Rohit, 22, an Indian man who entered the United States through Arizona in 2023, the DHS told CNN Monday.

Thakur’s grieving mother, now saying goodbye to her only child at her funeral Monday, is left wondering if more could have been done to protect her daughter, she told KCRA.

Suspect met victim picking up DoorDash orders

The pair knew each other through work. Thakur said she met Rohit when he picked up DoorDash orders from the business where she worked, according to court documents obtained by KCRA.

Rohit signed up to work for the delivery company using a Social Security number and completed a background check through an accredited provider, a DoorDash spokesperson told CNN Monday. Rohit had not worked in more than six weeks, according to the spokesperson, was not active on the app the day of the shooting, and the company never received any prior reports about him.

“This is an unimaginable tragedy, and our hearts are with Ms. Thakur’s family and loved ones as they grieve this immense loss,” a DoorDash spokesperson said.

Authorities said they are still investigating the immediate events that led up to the fatal shooting but have learned Rohit was waiting for Thakur at a local shopping center, where she was dropped off at her own vehicle a short time after. It’s unclear who dropped her off or where she was coming from.

Rohit approached Thakur “and began to accost her,” the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office said in the news release, adding, “As the victim attempted to run away, Rohit chased her down, pulled out a firearm, and shot her multiple times.” Thakur fell to the ground and Rohit fired additional shots, the sheriff’s office said.

Sacramento County Sheriff Jim Cooper released a brief, blurry video on Facebook, which he said showed Rohit shooting Thakur.

Witnesses told authorities the suspect fled the area but gave a description of his car to guide deputies as they worked to locate him.

Investigators used Flock, an automated license-plate reader system at the center of a national debate over privacy, to track down the suspect’s vehicle and within minutes, the deputies located the car. As they tried to pull it over, the driver slammed on the brakes, and after attempting to call the driver out of the car, deputies discovered Rohit died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Homeland Security highlights suspect’s immigration status

“This tragedy would have been completely avoided if it weren’t for the Biden Administration RELEASING this killer into our country,” a DHS spokesperson told CNN in a statement Monday. “Sanctuary politicians must put an end to reckless policies that play Russian roulette with American lives. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victim and her family.”

California Gov. Gavin Newsom pushed back on DHS’ response to the incident, which the department said stemmed from California’s sanctuary state law, the California Values Act, which prohibits local law enforcement from using its resources for immigration enforcement, with limited exceptions.

“Trying to turn a horrific act of stalking and domestic violence into an indictment of California’s sanctuary policies is not supported by the evidence and distracts from the real issues this case raises — law enforcement preventing stalking and domestic violence, enforcing restraining orders, and keeping victims safe,” Newsom’s spokesperson Diana Crofts-Pelayo told CNN.

While the incident has drawn attention to the suspect’s immigration status, a National Institute of Justice summary of a Texas-based study found undocumented immigrants were arrested at less than half the rate of native-born US citizens for violent and drug-related crimes. Immigrants are also incarcerated at lower rates, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research.

Apple AirTag under car’s hood and punctured tires

Rohit’s alleged stalking and harassment started in at least January when Thakur found an Apple AirTag under the hood of her car, according to investigators, and grew over the months as efforts intensified in nature and severity.

The suspect’s actions “had grown increasingly alarming” during one incident when he deflated the air in Thakur’s car tires and followed her to her workplace so he could help her, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office said.

Separately, in another incident, Rohit obtained a copy of Thakur’s apartment key, entered while she was sleeping and then claimed he was there because he was worried something happened to her when she didn’t answer him, the sheriff’s office said.

“Despite the bizarre behavior, the victim initially declined to pursue charges or obtain a restraining order,” the sheriff’s office said. “Deputies and Detectives remained concerned for her safety and remained in contact with the victim for the next few months.”

In May, Thakur obtained a restraining order against Rohit after deputies urged her to do so again, authorities said. In late July, authorities said he violated the order when he dropped groceries off at her door.

Four months later, she was dead

How the situation escalated from deliveries to a shooting in a parking lot remains a mystery. The sheriff’s office said its investigation is ongoing, as the case draws national attention and political barbs.

Thakur’s loved ones are honoring her life online with written memories from former co-workers and newfound friends on an obituary page for her.

On a GoFundMe page raising money to support Thakur’s family, an organizer described her as “a caring, loving, selfless, and generous young woman who gave so much of herself to others” and someone whose kindness and willingness to help others has left a lasting impact on everyone who knew her.

National Domestic Violence Hotline: Call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), or text “START” to 88788, which connects callers with local resources and immediate support. Help is also available through an online chat tool.

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