A 38-year-old Indian-origin woman, Shalini Thakur, was fatally shot outside her workplace in Sacramento’s Arden Arcade area following months of alleged stalking, harassment and violations of a restraining order, authorities said.
According to the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, Thakur was being dropped off at a shopping plaza on Tuesday when a 22-year-old man identified as Rohit approached and confronted her. Thakur attempted to flee, but the suspect allegedly chased her and shot her multiple times outside a Panera Bread restaurant on Howe Avenue. Emergency responders found her unresponsive, and she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Witnesses provided authorities with a description of the suspect’s vehicle. Deputies located the vehicle minutes later on eastbound Highway 50. When officers attempted to stop it, the suspect stopped on the highway. Police activity prompted the closure of eastbound lanes.
Authorities later found Rohit inside the vehicle with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead, and investigators said deputies did not appear to have fired their weapons.
Thakur’s mother, Sudesh Kumari, said her daughter had been stalked and harassed for nearly a year. Court documents reportedly indicate that the alleged stalking began around September 2025 and escalated over time. Thakur had obtained a restraining order after incidents that allegedly included surveillance, unwanted visits and other forms of harassment.
Authorities are continuing to investigate the killing, the alleged stalking and the circumstances surrounding the suspect’s death.
