Bucktown liquor store owner shocked over armed robbery, leaving clerk in critical condition
CHICAGO (CBS) -- There's a new video showing a dramatic robbery and shooting inside a Bucktown liquor store.
The shooting victim, a store clerk, remains in critical condition. CBS 2's Sabrina Franza reports from Bucktown and the robbers
are still on the loose.
The 26-year-old victim was just trying to do his job. He and the other customers in the store handed away their wallets and belongings, and still, that suspect started firing.
Customers are about to check out at Bucktown Food and Liquor and a 26-year-old employee is behind the desk. What they don't see are two masked men, in all black, armed, walking in.
The customers toss their wallets for the men to take and put their hands in the air. Then as the employee puts his hands in his pockets, shots are fired.
The plexiglass shatters as a bullets penetrates. The second shot strikes the employee.
"Sorry for him. I just feel so sorry for him. Because I hope everything goes well, and we can keep serving the community."
Diptesh Patel has owned Bucktown Food and Liquor since 2017. He cannot understand how this could have happened and said it's a first for his business.
"Should've never happened. Whatever they asked for it, we provided," Patel said. "He was just pulling out his wallet and he shot him."
The 26-year-old employee was taken to Stroger Hospital in critical condition.
"He's a really great guy. He's been working for a year and a half and never had any issues with any customers."
Back in Bucktown, this business now faces a new reality: figuring out a way to protect its customers and staff if tragedy strikes again.
"We're gonna have to take some kind of actions, you know, some sort of protections if it's possible. We do have surveillance cameras, but you know at this moment, we have no idea what we will do right now."
This shooting happened right next door to 1st Ward Alderman Daniel La Spata's office who told us in part that they're shocked and angered by this shooting, calling for justice for their good neighbors.
Police have not made any arrests.