PITTSBURGH, Pa. (Diya TV) — An Indian-origin motel owner was shot dead at point-blank range in Pittsburgh on Friday afternoon, marking another tragic killing of a member of the Indian American community in the United States. Rakesh Ehagaban-Patel, 51, originally from Rayam village near Bardoli in Gujarat’s Surat district, was fatally shot outside the Pittsburgh Motel in Robinson Township. Patel, who managed the motel, stepped out to investigate a disturbance in the parking lot when he was attacked.
According to surveillance footage and a criminal complaint, Patel calmly walked outside after hearing gunshots. He approached the shooter, later identified as Stanley Eugene West, and asked, “Are you alright, bud?” Seconds later, West fired at him at point-blank range, killing him instantly. The shocking incident was captured on video and widely circulated on social media, showing Patel’s final moments before the fatal shooting.
Authorities said West had been staying at the Pittsburgh Motel for about two weeks with a woman and a child. Moments before shooting Patel, West allegedly shot the woman, believed to be his companion, as she sat in a black sedan with a child inside. The woman was struck in the neck but managed to drive to a nearby auto service center for help. Police found her there around 1 p.m. local time. She was taken to a hospital in critical condition, while the child was unharmed…