CHICAGO, IL – An employee of a convenience store on Chicago’s South Side was shot and killed while leaving work on Tuesday evening, according to Chicago police. Shadi Mohammad Suleimen Almomani, 43, was reportedly attacked during an attempted armed robbery outside Half Moon Grocery at about 10:15 p.m. in the alley of the 300-block of East 79th Street.
Rami Kanaan, the store owner, expressed his sorrow and anger over the murder of Almomani, his close friend and longtime employee. An assailant approached Almomani when he was sitting in his car, leading to a fatal confrontation believed to be an attempted robbery.
According to Kanaan, the incident was caught on one of the store’s security cameras. He said Almomani was shot in the head as he tried to defend himself after the robber collected all his possessions, including money and IDs. The attacker then fled the scene, leaving Almomani dead in his car.
Almomani, a former police officer in Jordan, immigrated to the United States last August. Working overnight shifts at the store, he aimed to provide a better life for his wife and three children back in Jordan.
As the store remained closed in the wake of the incident, community leaders called for swift justice. 6th Ward Alderman William Hall urged anyone with information about the killer to step forward and assist law enforcement officials. The Area Two detectives are currently leading the ongoing investigation. There are no suspects in custody yet.