ROBINSON TOWNSHIP, Pa. — A motel manager was shot and killed at close range after stepping outside to check on a disturbance at the Pittsburgh Motel in Robinson Township on Friday afternoon, according to police.
Authorities identified the victim as 51-year-old Rakesh Bhagavan, who was shot in the head after confronting a man later identified as 37-year-old Stanley Eugene West.
Surveillance footage shows Bhagavan asking West, “Are you alright, bud?” as the man approached holding a gun. Police said West raised the firearm and shot Bhagavan point-blank in the head, killing him instantly.
Investigators said the incident began moments earlier when West shot his female companion in the neck while she sat in a car outside the motel, with a child in the back seat. The woman managed to drive to a nearby auto shop for help. She was rushed to the hospital in critical condition. The child was unharmed.
After shooting Bhagavan, West calmly walked to a U-Haul van parked nearby and drove off. Using license plate cameras, police tracked the van to Pittsburgh’s East Hills neighborhood.
When detectives approached the vehicle around 2:30 p.m., West opened fire, leading to a shootout. West and a Pittsburgh detective were both shot during the exchange. The officer, who has not been named, was treated and released from the hospital, while West remains in critical condition.
Police said West had been staying at the motel with the woman and child for about two weeks. He now faces charges of criminal homicide, attempted homicide, and recklessly endangering another person.