A 36-year-old man of Indian descent was fatally shot following a robbery at a convenience store in North Carolina, authorities reported. Mainank Patel, the proprietor of Tobacco House located at 2580 Airport Road, succumbed to his injuries on Tuesday morning, according to the Salisbury Post.
A teenage boy is now in custody in connection with the incident, as confirmed by the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office. Due to the suspect's juvenile status, their identity remains undisclosed. The arrest was made on Tuesday evening, but further details have not been shared.
Captain Mark McDaniel, a spokesperson for the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office, explained that deputies responded to a 911 hang-up call at the Tobacco House. As they were heading to the store, they received updates about a shooting. Upon arrival, they discovered Patel with multiple gunshot wounds. Patel was initially taken to Novant Health Rowan Medical Center and later transferred to Presbyterian Hospital in Charlotte, where he passed away from his injuries.
Security footage captured a tall, slender white male fleeing the scene. The individual was dressed in black shorts, a black hoodie, a black ski mask, and white Nike sneakers with burgundy logos, and was seen holding a black handgun, McDaniel reported.
The sheriff's office is still investigating the motive behind the shooting, which currently seems to be related to a robbery. Fortunately, no other injuries were reported.
Patel is survived by his wife, Ami, who is seven and a half months pregnant, and their 5-year-old daughter. The community is grieving the loss of Patel, who was known for his generosity and kindness.
Locals, who fondly referred to him as "Mike," have expressed their sorrow with flowers and cards outside Tobacco House. “It hit everybody because this was a family, this was a community family store,” said customer Ann Ellis.
Javier Lopez, who has been mowing the grass at the store for years, shared that Patel and his family always treated everyone like family. “I just saw him yesterday morning, and on my way home from work, I saw the police and stopped to see what had happened. There are just no words to describe how great a guy Mike was,” Lopez said.
Patricia Howard, another frequent customer, described Patel as a “super good man, good to his customers, loved his family and would have helped anyone.”
