Longtime Oakland store clerk Maged Alazzani fatally shot during robbery; "trying to live the American Dream"
Oakland police responded to three homicides in a 14-hour span over the weekend. That brought the total homicide number to four in just the first week of 2024.
Family members said one of the latest murder victims was a store clerk who was shot during a robbery. They identified the murder victim as 46-year-old Maged Alazzani.
The robbery happened on Saturday night shortly after 8 o'clock inside Orlando's Market on Linden Street in West Oakland, just a block away from McClymonds High School.
The family told KPIX his brother owns the corner store and Alazzani had worked there for years.
"I want them to remember him as a hardworking man from the Middle East, trying to live the American dream. And he was just providing for his family," said family friend Bessery Hassan.
Hassan said Alazzani came from Yemen. His wife and four kids live near the store.
"Unbelievably because the family, the kids, and everybody have to suffer," said Hassan.
Hassan said he learned from the victim's family the robbers were a couple of young people. It was unclear why they shot Alazzani during the robbery and how much money they took. A neighbor shared a door camera video with KPIX that recorded one gunshot.
Police said family members did not wait for the ambulance and drove Alazzani to the hospital themselves. He died a short time later.
"They've had ATMs yanked out of it to the point where they weren't dealing with ATMs for a while. There had been several incidents in the past where people tried to come in here and rob the store," said neighbor Travis Charles.
Charles lives across the street from the market and has known Alazzani for almost 12 years. He said Alazzani was a generous man and sold him a car last March even though he didn't have enough money. He needed a car to get to work.
"I gave him $1,500 as a down payment. And every time I got paid, I gave him $1,000 here, $500 here. He never rushed me, never bugged me," said Charles.
Many neighbors and long-time customers are heartbroken. They say Alazzani was a kind man and beloved in the community.
"I've seen his family grow up and his kids. He has a beautiful family. And I just feel awful for them," said neighbor Jacob Thompson.
Hassan is angry over the loss of a friend. He's fed up and wants the mayor to declare a state of emergency in Oakland.
"Get the National Guard out here, get the military, try to tackle the situation," said Hassan.
If the city does do more, Hassan worries more people will die.
"Non-stop, every day... robberies, killing. I mean it's like a third-world country," said Hassan.
Oakland police confirmed the Feb. 27 arrest of a juvenile suspect on March 5.