Pittsburgh Motel Owner Shot Dead in Parking Lot Dispute

Rakesh Ehagaban, a 51-year-old motel owner of Indian origin, was murdered in Pittsburgh. The shooting took place on a Friday afternoon in the parking area of the motel he managed. According to authorities, Ehagaban was attempting to mediate a dispute between two individuals when the violence escalated. The alleged shooter, Stanley Eugene West, 37, then turned the gun on Ehagaban, fatally shooting him in the head after Ehagaban asked, “Are you okay, friend?” The incident was recorded by the motel’s security cameras. Before the murder, West had allegedly shot a woman, who was with a child, in the motel parking lot. The woman survived the shooting after driving to a nearby service center. Following the shooting of Ehagaban, West fled the scene in a U-Haul van. Police later located West in the East Hills neighborhood where he engaged in a shootout with officers. West faces charges of criminal homicide and attempted homicide. A police detective was injured in the shootout as well.