An illegal migrant, identified as Rohit Rohit, 22, was arrested in August 2023 while attempting to cross the U.S. border near Yuma, Arizona. According to reports, he was released a month later under an "order of recognizance," a policy attributed to the Biden administration.
Federal authorities state that Rohit was apprehended in a remote area and processed at an ICE facility in Florence, Arizona, before being transferred to a processing center in Folkston, Georgia. He was reportedly released in September 2023, with officials describing the action as "catch and release."
Following his release, Rohit allegedly made his way to California. In 2025, he began stalking Shalini Thakur, 38, a waitress at an IHOP, whom he had met through Door Dash deliveries to her workplace. As the harassment escalated, Thakur obtained a restraining order against Rohit in July.
Despite the restraining order, Rohit reportedly violated it by visiting Thakur's home again weeks before her death. On Tuesday, he confronted Thakur outside a Panera Bread restaurant. Witnesses reported that Rohit chased Thakur, shot her, and then approached her as she lay on the ground to shoot her again in the head. The Sacramento County Sheriff's Office stated that quick police work may have prevented further violence, as they believe Rohit was heading to harm someone else.
Following the shooting, Rohit fled the scene but was apprehended by law enforcement on Highway 50 approximately two miles away after a witness provided a description of his vehicle. A standoff ensued, during which Rohit died by suicide inside his car.
Thakur's mother, Sudesh Kumari, expressed grief and anger, stating, "Restraining order after restraining order… police did not protect my daughter." The Sacramento County Sheriff's Office had been in contact with Thakur regarding Rohit's harassment for months prior to the incident.
A former DHS spokesperson commented on the case, suggesting that the agency made an error in releasing Rohit instead of deporting him. The spokesperson characterized the situation as typical of "Biden 'catch and release'" policies, asserting that such policies put American citizens at risk. The notes also suggest that California's sanctuary state laws may have hindered local law enforcement's cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, potentially preventing Rohit's detention or deportation after he was reported to police on at least two prior occasions.