Rakesh Ehagaban Patel, a 51-year-old man of Gujarati origin, was shot dead while managing a motel in Robinson Township, near Pittsburgh. He was originally from Rayam village near Bardoli in Surat district. Rakesh had been working as a motel manager in the US when a disturbance outside made him to go and check what was happening.

According to the CCTV footage, Rakesh walked toward the scene to see, asking, “Are you all right, bud?” as he came closer. The suspect, identified as 37-year-old Stanley Eugene West, moved forward and shot him in the head from a very close range. Before attacking Rakesh, West had also shot a woman in the neck outside the motel.
The shooter didn’t escape quietly; he got into a gun fight with police, where he was injured and later taken to hospital in serious condition. A detective was also hurt during the firing, and the woman victim is still fighting for her life in hospital.

This killing shows a worrying pattern it is the second time recently that an Indian-origin motel manager was attacked in the US. On September 10, Chandra Mouli “Bob” Nagamallaiah (50) was brutally beheaded at the Downtown Suites motel in Dallas, which he also managed. That motel was owned by a family from Khoj village in Surat district.

Sources said Rakesh’s family had shifted to the US almost three decades ago, and now many of his relatives are also living there. The reason behind the attack is still not clear, and police are trying to find out if it was random or he was specially targeted.

The shocking CCTV video showing Rakesh’s last moments has caused big concern and sadness in his home region of Gujarat. Local leaders and family members are asking for justice and better protection for Indians who are working in foreign countries.

As the investigation goes on, US police are trying to know more about West’s background and if he had any connection with Rakesh or the motel. The case raises serious questions about safety, gun violence, and how vulnerable the Indian community is abroad.