From Tire Tampering to a Hidden AirTag: The Disturbing Stalking Allegations Before the Sacramento Shooting
The investigation into the killing of Shalini Thakur has revealed a series of disturbing allegations that authorities say preceded the fatal shooting by months.
Thakur, 38, was killed outside a Panera Bread restaurant in Sacramento’s Arden-Arcade area on September 8. Police identified 22-year-old Rohit Rohit as the suspected attacker. He later died after an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound during a standoff with authorities on Highway 50.
According to the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office and court documents, the alleged stalking campaign began months before the shooting.
Thakur’s restraining-order filing stated that the behavior started around September 2025 and gradually became more frequent and severe. She reportedly knew Rohit through his work as a DoorDash driver, who collected food orders from her workplace.
One of the first major warning signs involved her car.
Investigators said Thakur discovered an Apple AirTag hidden beneath the hood of her vehicle in January. The discovery suggested that someone could potentially monitor where she was traveling. Authorities later identified the tracking device as part of the allegations against Rohit.
Another incident involved one of her tires.
According to investigators, Rohit allegedly deflated the tire and then followed Thakur to work. Authorities said he subsequently offered to help her with the problem.
Such behavior, investigators say, was part of a wider pattern rather than an isolated incident.
The alleged stalking also reached Thakur’s home.
Sheriff’s officials said Rohit obtained a copy of her apartment key and entered her residence while she was asleep. When Thakur discovered the intrusion, authorities said Rohit claimed he had entered because he was worried after she failed to respond to him.
Court records also contain allegations of controlling behavior.
Thakur reportedly told the court that Rohit attempted to influence who she could socialize with and tried to pressure her into marriage. She also alleged that he made threats involving himself and other people.
By April, according to the restraining-order filing, the alleged behavior had become so persistent that Rohit would reportedly spend hours outside her home waiting to speak with her.
Thakur contacted authorities in March.
The Sheriff’s Office said she initially did not wish to pursue criminal charges or request a restraining order. Deputies continued to stay in contact with her, however, and later encouraged her to seek legal protection.
In May, she obtained a civil harassment restraining order.
The order reportedly remained valid until May 2027.
But another alleged violation occurred in July.
Authorities said Thakur reported that Rohit had left grocery items outside her home on July 29. Deputies tried to locate him after the report but were unsuccessful.
The incident became one of the final documented warning signs before the killing.
On September 8, Rohit allegedly went to the shopping center near Howe Avenue and Northrop Avenue before Thakur arrived. Investigators said he approached her when she was dropped off near her vehicle.
Thakur tried to escape.
Authorities said Rohit chased her and opened fire. She was fatally wounded at the scene. Investigators later said the attack included a close-range shot after she had fallen.
Witnesses provided investigators with information about the suspect’s vehicle. Deputies subsequently located Rohit on Highway 50 near Watt Avenue.
The resulting police standoff closed part of the highway for several hours.
Authorities eventually found Rohit dead inside his vehicle from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Thakur’s death has left her mother, Sudesh Kumari, grieving the loss of her only child. Kumari had traveled from India to spend time with her daughter but instead found herself preparing for her funeral.
The case is now being examined not only as a homicide but also as an example of how stalking can escalate through repeated invasions of privacy and personal space.
From an alleged tracking device hidden on a car to an alleged intrusion into a bedroom and repeated unwanted contact, the sequence has raised difficult questions about how authorities and communities can identify escalating threats before they become deadly.
Journalist Details
- Jitendra Kumar is an Indian journalist and social activist from Hathras in Uttar Pradesh is known as the senior journalist and founder of Xpert Times Network Private Limited.
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