Menank Patel, a 36-year-old Indian-origin man in North Carolina, was shot and killed during a robbery at his convenience store, authorities said. Patel, the owner of the Tobacco House at 2580 Airport Road, was attacked Tuesday morning, according to the Salisbury Post.
The Rowan County Sheriff’s Office has a juvenile in custody for the crime, although his name has not been released due to his age. The suspect was arrested Tuesday evening, but no further details have been released.
Capt. Mark McDaniel, public information officer for the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office, said deputies first responded to a 911 hang-up call from the Tobacco House store. On the way, they learned of a shooting. Upon arrival, deputies found Patel with multiple gunshot wounds. He was taken to Novant Health Rowan Medical Center and later transferred to Presbyterian Hospital in Charlotte, where he died from his injuries.
Security footage showed a tall, thin white man running away, wearing black shorts, a black hoodie, a black ski mask and white Nike tennis shoes with a burgundy logo. He appeared to be carrying a black handgun.
While the exact motive for the incident is not yet clear, the sheriff’s office believes the incident was possibly a robbery. No one else was injured in the attack.
Patel leaves behind his pregnant wife Ami and 5-year-old daughter. The community, deeply saddened by the loss, fondly remembers Patel, who was known to all as “Mike”, as a generous and kind man. Flowers and cards were placed outside his store on Wednesday as a tribute to his memory.
Ann Ellis, a regular customer, said, “It affected everybody because it was a family, it was a community family store.” Javier Lopez, who has been mowing the store’s lawn for years, remembered how the Patel family treated everyone like family. “There are no words to describe how great of a person Mike was,” Lopez said.
Patricia Howard, another regular customer, described Patel as “a very nice man who was good to his customers, loved his family, and would help anyone.” The community is in mourning, struggling to come to terms with the loss of a beloved member.