Man killed in Sacramento County Highway 50 standoff had stalked woman he executed, sheriff says SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The man who killed himself during a standoff with Sacramento deputies along Highway 50 had been stalking a woman for months before executing her outside a Panera Bread, officials said Wednesday. VIDEO ABOVE | Highway 50 closure: LiveCopter 3 minute-by-minute view of the standoff. Sheriff Jim Cooper said he viewed surveillance video of the shooting, which occurred shortly before 3 p.m. Tuesday near Panera Bread at Northrop and Howe avenues. “Horrible. I’ve seen the video myself. Unimaginable,” Cooper said. “This young woman was chased down and shot to death, and then he stands in front of her and executes her. Unbelievable.” The 38-year-old victim and his killer, Rohit Rohit, 22, had known each other for several years through work, although they worked for different companies, said sheriff’s spokesman Lt. Amar Gandhi. Investigators believe Rohit eventually developed a fixation on the woman, whose name has not been revealed until her family is notified. Rohit is believed to have stalked and harassed the woman, whose name has not been revealed, since at least January this year. That’s when he discovered an Apple AirTag under the hood of his car. The sheriff’s office said the harassment and harassment worsened, describing one instance in which Rohit deflated the woman’s vehicle and followed her to work so he could offer her help. Rohit also allegedly obtained a copy of the woman’s apartment key and entered her house while she was sleeping. Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office When the woman found out about this the next morning, the sheriff’s office said Rohit claimed he had entered her apartment because he was worried something had happened to her when she didn’t respond. Despite these cases, the sheriff’s office said the woman initially refused to press charges or obtain a restraining order. Detectives remained in contact with the woman for months. “We’ve seen this pattern of behavior. We’ve seen where it leads sometimes,” Gandhi said. In May, the sheriff’s office said deputies spoke with the woman and urged her again to get a restraining order, which she did. On July 29, officers received a report that Rohit left random grocery store items on the woman’s front door, violating the restraining order. The sheriff’s office said it learned that on the day of the fatal shooting, Rohit parked his vehicle just before 3 p.m. in the Panera parking lot, which is where the woman would ultimately be dropped off. KCRA, Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office. Rohit approached the woman and began harassing her, the sheriff’s office said. When the woman tried to flee, Rohit chased her, pulled out a gun and shot her several times. After she fell to the ground, Rohit shot her in the head at point-blank range. VIDEO BELOW | Highway 50 closure: Minute-by-minute view of the standoff from LiveCopter 3 Rohit fled afterward, but Sacramento County Sheriff Jim Cooper said deputies were able to locate him within minutes with the help of witnesses and Flock’s camera system. “Fortunately, a good witness, a good Samaritan, was there, saw it, took pictures of the suspect’s vehicle and called 911 immediately,” Cooper said. Officers confronted Rohit on the eastbound 50 Freeway at Watt Avenue, where Rohit stopped his car and eventually shot himself to death. The crime scene closed the road for hours while officers investigated. The suspect had no known local criminal history. Rohit had no known criminal history in Sacramento County and had not previously interacted with the sheriff’s office, Cooper and Gandhi said. Investigators have not yet determined how Rohit obtained the key to the woman’s apartment or the firearm used in the shooting. Gandhi said detectives would examine whether the gun was legally purchased or registered and whether the restraining order should have prohibited Rohit from possessing it. Detectives were also processing both vehicles, reviewing surveillance video and interviewing people who knew the victim and Rohit. Although the suspect is dead, Gandhi said detectives will continue to investigate to provide information and closure to the victim’s family. how they got here,” Gandhi said. Cooper urged anyone experiencing harassment, threats or violence in a relationship to seek help and report the behavior. “Domestic violence is real,” Cooper said. “If you are a young woman or man involved in a relationship and it involves violence, get out, because it can come to this.” The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office non-emergency line at 916-874-5115. Help is available available for those in crisis at the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 988. You can also text the three-digit number. See more coverage of California’s top stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel |
