Chicago convenience store employee shot, killed during attempted robbery
CHICAGO (CBS)-- A convenience store worker was shot to death during an attempted robbery in Chicago's Grand Crossing neighborhood Tuesday night.
The incident happened around 10:16 p.m. in the 300 block of East 79th Street.
The victim was in an alley after finishing his shift at the Half Moon grocery store when he was approached by a man who attempted to rob him. The offender fired shots and struck the employee in the head, according to police.
The victim, identified as 43-year-old Shadi Mohammad Suleumen Almomani by the Medical Examiner's Office, died at the scene.
The store owner, Rami Kanann, has known Almomani for 30 years and called him a brother. He said Almomani was a father of three and moved to the United States about five months ago from Jordan, where he was a police officer.
"We grew up together," Kanann said. "He's a loveable person. Very good guy. I just lost him."
Almomani was in his car to go home when the robber approached. Kanann said Almomani tried to fight the robber,
The owner said he decided to close down the store for good.
"No more the store, no more, no more," Kanann said, shaking his head. "You see, I shut it down. No more, I don't want … hey, it's not worth it, it's not worth it. They just took my brother's life over what? Over money? We work, we make money. How easy to them to kill someone who has a family. He left his family. He left his country to come over here to provide them, to make them to be needed. They might be engineer, they might be doctors, they might be cops like him."
Police said they're still investigating the incident, and no arrests have been made.
Kanann said he is looking into sending his friend's body back to Jordan so he can be buried in his homeland.
