A 36-year-old Indian-origin man, Mainank Patel, was tragically shot and killed during a robbery at his convenience store in North Carolina, authorities reported. Patel, the owner of Tobacco House at 2580 Airport Road, was attacked on Tuesday morning, according to the Salisbury Post.
The Rowan County Sheriff’s Office has taken a juvenile male into custody for the crime, though his name has not been released due to his age. The suspect was arrested on Tuesday evening, but further details have not been provided.
Captain Mark McDaniel, public information officer for the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office, explained that deputies initially responded to a 911 hang-up call from the Tobacco House store. En route, they received information about a shooting. Upon arrival, deputies found Patel suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was taken to Novant Health Rowan Medical Center and later transferred to Presbyterian Hospital in Charlotte, where he succumbed to his injuries.
Security footage revealed a tall, slender white male fleeing the scene, dressed in black shorts, a black hoodie, a black ski mask, and white Nike tennis shoes with burgundy logos. He appeared to be carrying a black handgun.
While the exact motive remains unclear, the sheriff’s office believes the incident was likely a robbery. No one else was injured in the attack.
Patel leaves behind a pregnant wife, Ami, and their 5-year-old daughter. The community, deeply affected by the loss, fondly remembers Patel, known as “Mike” to everyone, 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 hit everybody because this was a family, this was a community family store.” Javier Lopez, who had been maintaining the store’s lawn for years, recalled how the Patel family treated everyone like family. “There are just no words to describe how great a guy Mike was,” Lopez added.
Patricia Howard, another regular customer, described Patel as “a super good man, good to his customers, loved his family, and would have helped anyone.” The community is in mourning, struggling to come to terms with the loss of a beloved member.