Overview
- On Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026, 22-year-old Rohit Rohit chased and shot 38-year-old Shalini Thakur outside a Panera in Sacramento and later died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot after a standoff with deputies on eastbound Highway 50.
- Court records show Thakur filed a civil harassment restraining order in May after roughly a year of escalating stalking that investigators say included an Apple AirTag hidden on her car, deflated tires, an alleged copy of her apartment key, unwanted deliveries and repeated in-person contact.
- Witnesses who were at the scene provided vehicle information and deputies used the Flock automated license-plate camera network to locate the suspect within minutes, leading to the highway pursuit and standoff.
- Sheriff’s officials say detectives had probable cause to arrest Rohit after a reported July violation but were unable to find him despite at least two attempts to contact him, and investigators continue multiple open probes while Thakur’s family says the system failed her.
- A DHS confirmation that Rohit was apprehended at the Arizona border in 2023 and later released has prompted partisan criticism of federal immigration policies and renewed questions about the practical limits of restraining orders and local policing practices.