When Surat resident Jitendra Patel said goodbye to his brother-in-law, Rakesh Patel, in August, he never imagined it would be the final farewell. They believed he would return to India again — but fate proved otherwise.

Rakesh Ehagaban-Patel (51), originally from Rayam village near Bardoli in Gujarat’s Surat district, was shot dead outside the motel where he worked in Robinson Township, near Pittsburgh. He had gone outside in response to a disturbance when gunfire rang out that Friday evening.

That same day, Rakesh, employed as a motel manager in Pennsylvania, was killed in cold blood. Authorities later tracked the accused and captured him following a gunfight. The killing comes just weeks after another Indian-origin motel manager in Texas was murdered at his workplace.

Media accounts say that when Rakesh stepped out to see what had happened, CCTV footage shows Stanley Eugene West, 37, walking up to Rakesh and shooting him in the head at point-blank range. Before firing, Rakesh had reportedly asked West, “Are you all right, bud?” It is believed that earlier, West had shot a woman in the neck outside the motel. The woman and the suspect had reportedly been staying at the motel for a few days.

In Singod village, in Surat district, the household of Jitendra held a memorial service to mourn Rakesh’s death. His photo, placed on a chair, was garlanded as visitors came to pay their respects. Jitendra, 55, told The Indian Express, “My brother-in-law went to the US with his mother Lalitaben Patel when he was just four years old. He stayed and studied there. He married my sister, Hemuben, in 2001 and she left for the US the next year.”

He added somber details about Rakesh’s family: “The couple has three daughters: the eldest one is Karishma (19), who met with an accident in 2013 and had to undergo around 18 operations on her body. Her left hand is still not working. Angana (13) has medical problems with her kidneys and lungs requiring regular medical treatment. The youngest daughter is Kruti (9).”

Rakesh’s wife, Hemu, also worked at the motel and was a partner in its operations. Though their ancestral house in Rayam village is now shut, the family was based in the US.

Jitendra recalled their last visits: “Rakesh and his family came to India last December to attend the wedding of his nephew in Rayam village. The family stayed here for around one month. Rakesh and Hemu again came down to India for Raksha Bandhan a couple of months ago. My mother, Kusumben, was not well at that time. Rakesh and Hemu stayed here for 15 days.”

At 10:45 pm on October 3, Jitendra received a terrified call from Hemu. “My sister called and informed me about the incident. She was crying a lot. She was at the motel when the incident occurred. We were all shocked after learning about the incident. We are all in pain,” he said.

According to reports, Rakesh was inside the motel when he heard gunfire break out following a quarrel between a couple. He hurried outside to intervene. As soon as he emerged, the suspect confronted him and shot him dead instantly. Hemu alerted the Robinson Township police, who viewed motel CCTV footage and began tracking the suspect. He was identified as Stanley West (37).

Police say West later emerged from a vehicle and began firing upon officers. In the ensuing exchange, law enforcement returned fire, subdued West, and took him into custody with bullet injuries.

This horrifying episode follows the gruesome death of Chandra Nagamallaiah, who on September 10 was killed at his workplace in East Dallas, Texas, in front of his wife and teenage son. He was attacked by a co-worker during a dispute over a broken washing machine and was later beheaded. The killer was arrested nearby.

The back-to-back incidents have sent shockwaves through Indian communities abroad, and especially among Gujaratis with ties to Surat. Families, friends, and neighbours are left to mourn not just the loss of life, but the horror and senseless violence behind such deaths.