An Indian-origin woman was shot dead outside a shopping centre in Sacramento, California, after months of stalking and harassment. Shalini Thakur, 38, was killed on Tuesday, 8th September, near a shopping centre on Howe Avenue in the Arden-Arcade area by a man identified as Rohit.
Police said that the accused, who attacked Thakur, later died from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound after officers tracked his vehicle on Highway 50.
Stalking started nearly a year before the shooting
According to a civil harassment restraining order request filed by Thakur in Sacramento Superior Court, the stalking began in September 2025 and became more frequent and serious over the following months.
Thakur told the court that she once found an Apple AirTag hidden under the hood of her car. Investigators also said Rohit had let air out of one of her tyres and later followed her to work while offering to help her.
Authorities said Rohit had also managed to get a copy of Thakur’s apartment key and entered her home while she was sleeping.
In her court filing, Thakur said Rohit admitted damaging or interfering with her property because he wanted her to marry him and did not want her meeting other people. She also told the court that he threatened to shoot himself or other people if she refused to marry him.
Restraining order was in place
Thakur eventually received a restraining order in late May. The order was scheduled to remain in effect until May 2027. She reported a possible violation in July after Rohit left groceries outside her home.
Sacramento County Sheriff’s Sgt. Amar Gandhi said deputies had remained in contact with Thakur for several months and had encouraged her to seek a restraining order.
Gandhi said the offences reported at the time were misdemeanours. Detectives also tried several times to find Rohit and contact him, but they were unable to locate him.
Thakur was chased before being shot
The shooting happened shortly before 3 pm on Tuesday near a Panera on Howe Avenue. Deputies were called after witnesses reported hearing gunshots.
Investigators said Rohit arrived shortly before Thakur was dropped off near her parked vehicle. He confronted her, and when she tried to get away, he chased her and shot her several times.
Detectives said Rohit then moved closer and shot her again at close range. Thakur died at the scene. Witnesses gave investigators information about the vehicle Rohit was driving. Police then used the Flock licence plate reader system to track the vehicle near Highway 50 and Howe Avenue.
Regional Transit deputies tried to stop the vehicle. It eventually stopped on Highway 50, where officers spent some time trying to get the driver to come out.
They later found Rohit dead inside the vehicle. Authorities said he appeared to have died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The shooting also forced the closure of Highway 50 between Howe and Watt avenues for several hours.
Mother came from India to be with her only daughter
Thakur’s mother, Sudesh Kumari, had travelled from India to Sacramento to spend several months with her only daughter. She is now preparing for Thakur’s funeral and questioning whether more could have been done to protect her.
Kumari visited the shopping centre on Thursday night for the first time since the shooting. She stood near a memorial made up of flowers and candles for her daughter.
Thakur’s family described her as caring, loving and selfless in an online fundraiser set up to help with her funeral expenses. She worked at an IHOP in the Arden area and had met Rohit while he was working for DoorDash and picking up orders from the restaurant.
Mother asks why her daughter was not better protected
Kumari said her daughter had contacted police many times about the stalking and harassment. She questioned why Thakur was not given greater protection despite the repeated reports.
“The police would not protect my daughter,” Kumari said.
She said she believes her daughter’s death could have been prevented if she had received greater protection. “I am alone in this world,” she said.
The Sacramento County Coroner’s Office identified Thakur as the victim on Thursday. Detectives are continuing to investigate the events that took place immediately before the shooting.
