‘He took him away’: Robber at large after shooting convenience store clerk to death in Leesburg

LEESBURG, Fla. — Leesburg police say a man is dead after being shot during a robbery.

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They said it happened around 9:30 p.m. Thursday at a convenience store on Picciola Road off US-441.

Leesburg Police Department released security video from inside M&M Food Mart.

It shows a person with a gun enter the store and immediately target the clerk.

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Investigators said the clerk, 51-year-old Raied Shihadeh, was shot.

A short time later you can see the armed person run out of the store.

Police said that suspect was still on the loose Friday.

A medical helicopter flew Shihadeh to a hospital, where he died, according to police.

Adel Abdullah, the owner of the store, told Channel 9 on Friday that Shihadeh lost his life over fewer than $100.

Abdullah said Shihadeh called him but he was busy at the time and he called him back shortly after 9 p.m. Thursday -- but the call was not answered.

He later learned that his friend and business partner was shot in his store minutes before.

“My best friend -- even more than that -- my brother,” Abdullah said. “(The gunman) took it took away from me. He took him away from his family, his kids.”

Abdullah said Shihadeh was FaceTiming with his wife when video shows the suspect walking in the door and immediately pulling out a gun.

“His wife was screaming in the phone, saying, ‘I can see you! I can see you!’ That’s what she told me,” he said. “‘I’m calling 911!’ And that’s what happened. So he shot him one time -- then over there.”

Investigators are unsure whether there was even a conversation between Shihadeh and the gunman before shots were fired.

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Video shows as the suspect moved further into the store, shooting at the clerk before he fell to the floor.

The gunman is then seen moving behind the counter.

Just 30 seconds after shots were fired, he runs out with his hands barely full.

“You just want to make an honest living and that’s what he did,” Abdullah said. “You don’t want to get rich. You just want to feed your family. And that’s what you get.”

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Leesburg robbery and shooting Leesburg police say someone robbed the M&M Food Mart and shot a store clerk Thursday night. (WFTV staff)

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Gunman at large after clerk shot, killed during convenience store robbery in Leesburg, police say Leesburg police say a man is dead after being shot during a robbery. (WFTV)

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