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The disturbing video shows the 51-year-old stepping out of the Pittsburgh Motel in Robinson Township to check on a commotion moments before he was gunned down
Rakesh Patel (51), originally from Gujarat’s Surat district, was shot dead outside the motel where he worked as a manager in US | Image: News18
Recently released CCTV footage revealed the final moments of Indian-origin motel manager Rakesh Ehagaban (also known as Rakesh Patel) before he was fatally shot outside his workplace in Pittsburgh, United States.
The disturbing video shows the 51-year-old stepping out of the Pittsburgh Motel in Robinson Township to check on a commotion moments before he was gunned down at point-blank range.
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According to the footage cited in local media reports, Ehagaban noticed a disturbance outside the motel and approached a man holding a gun, calmly asking, “Are you alright, bud?”
The suspect, later identified as 37-year-old Stanley Eugene West, then walked toward Ehagaban, raised his weapon, and shot him in the head. The motel manager died instantly.
The tragic incident occurred last Friday and was captured by the motel’s surveillance cameras.
Police later confirmed that the same suspect also shot a woman outside the property before engaging in a gunfight with officers.
Investigators said West had been staying at the motel, where the woman, a guest for the past two weeks, was attempting to leave in her car with a child when West opened fire.
A bullet struck the woman in the neck, though the child was unharmed. Hearing the gunfire, Ehagaban stepped outside, only to be shot moments later.
Following the attack, West reportedly walked calmly to a moving van parked nearby and drove away.
The wounded woman managed to reach a nearby auto service centre, where police and emergency responders found her and rushed her to the hospital in critical condition.
Using licence plate recognition cameras, police tracked the suspect’s van to Pittsburgh’s East Hills area.
When officers approached, West allegedly opened fire, prompting detectives to return shots. Both West and a police detective were injured during the exchange.
West was taken to the hospital in critical condition and has since been charged with criminal homicide, attempted homicide, and reckless endangerment.
Police confirmed that both the injured woman and the detective remain under medical care.
The CCTV footage has since reignited grief and outrage among the local community, highlighting the selfless act of a man who lost his life trying to ensure the safety of others.
United States of America (USA)
October 07, 2025, 16:35 IST
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