California woman killed by longtime stalker who DHS says was in US illegally

Key Points:

• A California woman, identified as Shalini Thakur, was fatally shot in Sacramento by Rohit Rohit, a 22-year-old man who had been stalking her for months and was living in the U.S. illegally, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
• The suspect, who entered the U.S. through Arizona in 2023, had met Thakur through work as he picked up DoorDash orders from her workplace; he had passed a background check for DoorDash but had not been active on the app for over six weeks before the shooting.
• Authorities reported that Rohit chased and shot Thakur multiple times after she attempted to run away near a local shopping center; he later died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound when deputies tried to apprehend him.
• The incident has sparked political debate, with DHS blaming California's sanctuary state law for releasing the suspect into the country, while California officials and experts argue that the tragedy is a matter of stalking and domestic violence enforcement, not immigration policy.
• Investigations revealed Rohit's escalating stalking behavior, including planting an Apple AirTag on Thakur’s car, deflating her tires, entering her apartment without permission, and violating a restraining order she obtained months before her death.