Indian American doctor killed trying to stop carjacking

AN INDIAN American doctor was fatally run over attempting to stop a carjacking in Washington, DC, police said.

Rakesh Patel, 33, from Silver Spring in Maryland, was training as a critical care fellow at MedStar Washington Hospital Center.

Media reports said the incident took place when Patel was meeting his girlfriend Tuesday (8). He reportedly parked his Mercedes car in Northwest Washington and got out of his car to hand over a package to her.

A suspect who entered the victim’s unoccupied vehicle attempted to flee the scene and “struck the victim”, the Washington Metropolitan Police Department said.

“The suspect then fled the scene in the victim’s vehicle. DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services transported the victim to a local hospital for treatment. After all life-saving efforts failed, the victim was pronounced dead”.

Patel’s vehicle has been recovered, the police said, asking for public assistance in identifying and locating the suspects.

The police also released a video of the Mercedes being pulled up and two people getting out of it - one from the front passenger seat and the other from the back seat - and walking away. However, the video does not show the person driving the car.

MedStar said it was “heartbroken” by the death of Patel who was a medical intensive care unit fellow.

“We are heartbroken to learn of the sudden passing of Dr Rakesh (Rick) Patel. He was the victim of a carjacking and a hit-and-run in the District, according to Metropolitan police,” it said in a Facebook post.

“After completing his Internal Medicine Residency at MedStar Washington, he stayed with us to complete his Infectious Diseases fellowship and was currently training as a Critical Care fellow. He will be greatly missed by those whose lives he touched. Please keep Dr Patel’s family and peers in your thoughts and prayers during the days ahead”, it added.

According to The Washington Post, Patel’s girlfriend Rachel Lincoln described the tragedy she witnessed as a “nightmare”.