50-year-old Rakesh Patel killed while intervening in parking lot dispute; second fatal attack on Indians in a month
A tragic shooting in Robinson Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, claimed the life of 50-year-old Rakesh Dhirubhai Patel, a motel owner and native of Rayam village in Bardoli taluka of Surat district, Gujarat. Patel, who managed a motel in the area, was killed after stepping outside to investigate gunshots during an argument in the motel’s parking lot, reported gujaratsamachar.com.
The suspect, identified as 37-year-old Stanley Eugene West, opened fire during a domestic dispute before shooting Patel, who had come out to help.
According to Allegheny County Police, the incident began when West got into an altercation with his female companion.
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During the confrontation, he fired multiple rounds. Hearing the commotion, Rakesh Patel stepped outside to check the situation, only to be shot fatally by the gunman
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The injured woman managed to flee the scene
Reports indicate that after shooting Patel, the suspect chillingly asked, “Are you alright, bud?” — a moment captured on the motel’s surveillance cameras. West then fled the area in a U-Haul van.
Police later located the suspect on Wilner Drive in East Hills, where he opened fire on officers, injuring one Pittsburgh policeman.
The officers retaliated, wounding West, who is currently in critical condition at a hospital. Authorities have charged him with murder, attempted murder, and reckless endangerment.
This incident marks the second fatal attack on Indians in the US within a month. Last week, a 26-year-old Indian student was shot dead by robbers in Dallas. In another shocking case in September, 50-year-old Indian-origin motel worker Chandramouli Nagamallaiah was beheaded in front of his wife and son in Texas after a dispute over a washing machine.
The Indian-American community has expressed shock and grief over the repeated incidents, urging authorities for stronger protection measures.
