Woman Murdered by Illegal Immigrant Stalker, Whom Authorities Say Was Released by Biden Administration

A woman was chased down and fatally shot by her alleged stalker, an immigrant from India who had previously been arrested and released into the U.S., authorities said. The incident occurred on September 8 outside a Panera Bread in Sacramento, California.

Shalini Thakur, 38, was on her way to work when Rohit Rohit, 22, approached her and began to accost her, according to Sacramento County Sheriff's Office Lieutenant Amar Gandhi. Video footage captured Thakur running from Rohit before he pursued her, pulled out a firearm, and shot her multiple times. She fell to the ground, and Rohit then approached her body and shot her in the head at close range, Gandhi stated.

Deputies responded to the scene and pursued Rohit's vehicle as he fled. They located him, and he appeared to have died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, the sheriff's office reported.

Detectives learned that Rohit had been harassing and stalking Thakur since at least January, after they met through his DoorDash deliveries to her workplace. His behavior escalated over time, including planting an Apple AirTag on her car, deflating her tires, and entering her apartment while she slept. Thakur had obtained a restraining order against Rohit, which he violated in July.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) commented on the case, stating that Rohit illegally entered the U.S. in 2023 and was released into the country by the Biden administration after being arrested by Border Patrol agents. A DHS spokesperson blamed the tragedy on the administration's immigration policies, asserting that it "would have been completely avoided" if the individual had not been released.

Rohit reportedly passed background checks for DoorDash using a Social Security number. A DoorDash spokesperson expressed condolences to Thakur's family and stated the company is cooperating with the ongoing investigation.

Thakur was remembered by her family as a "caring, loving, selfless, and generous young woman." Her mother described being unable to reach her daughter shortly before the shooting and expressed grief and a sense of loss.