A 45-year-old Indian woman from Gujarat was reportedly shot dead during a suspected robbery attempt at a supermarket in Virginia, United States.
The victim, identified as Meghnaben Patel, had been working at the supermarket for the past 10 years, according to NDTV.
Local police reached the spot soon after receiving information about the incident, sealed the area and launched an investigation. Special teams were also reportedly deployed to trace and arrest the attacker.
A purported video of the incident circulating on social media appears to show a man entering the supermarket wearing animal-print pants, a full-sleeved jacket, gloves and a face mask.
The man is seen speaking to Patel, seemingly pretending to be a customer.
Moments later, he allegedly places his hands inside his pockets, moves in front of the counter and pulls out a gun from his jacket.
The video shows the attacker shooting Patel twice, after which she collapses on the floor. He then jumps over the counter and fires another shot before fleeing the scene.
The authenticity of the video could not be independently verified.
Meghnaben Patel belonged to Jantral village in the Bijapur area of Gujarat’s Mehsana district, according to The Daily Jagran.
She is survived by her husband Upendrabhai Patel, daughter Nakshi and son Smith.
Her parents, Karsanbhai and Kapilaben, are reportedly residing in Jantral village.
Villagers described Patel as a loving and simple-minded woman, the report said.
The incident comes months after another Indian national was reportedly shot dead in the United States.
In March this year, 22-year-old Chetak Sharma, also known as Laakha, from Samoura village in Haryana’s Karnal district, was allegedly found shot dead in his rented apartment in Georgia.
🇺🇸 #Virginia, USA — A 45-year-old Indian woman from Gujarat was shot dead inside a supermarket during a suspected robbery attempt. pic.twitter.com/2YIIUtPeVL
— World Wide Leak (@leaklive1) May 26, 2026
Sharma had reportedly travelled illegally to the US in 2024 after completing school in search of better financial opportunities for his family.
He worked as a storekeeper and was found dead inside his room.
According to reports, Sharma’s family had taken a loan of Rs 50 lakh to send him abroad and later appealed to the government and social organisations for help in bringing his body back to India for the last rites.
