A Roxbury store clerk complied with a robber’s demands, owner says. Then he was shot in the head.
“His life is in God’s hands."
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A 21-year-old Roxbury store clerk, who was shot in the head during a robbery Tuesday night, complied with all of the robber’s demands in the moments before the attack, the store’s owner says.
Now, Tanjim Siam, who came to Massachusetts from Bangladesh and started working at M&R convenience store on Shawmut Avenue only months ago, is in a coma at Boston Medical Center fighting for his life, CBS Boston reports.
“His life is in God’s hands,” store owner Abdul Matin told WHDH. “We do not know if he is going to survive.”
Matin said he was told by police that Siam gave the robber whatever he wanted, including cash, cigarettes, and T-shirts, WCVB reports.
Eventually, the robber brought Siam to a back room of the shop where he demanded Siam to lay down, Matin said.
Then the robber — who is still at large — shot him in the head.
Clerk shot in Roxbury is fighting for his life while Police search for the shooter & store owner is speaking out tonight on 7 #7news pic.twitter.com/E0FC7m9kf5
— Steve Cooper (@scooperon7) July 15, 2020
The shooting was reported to Boston police around 9:14 p.m.
“I do not understand why you got the money and other things, why did he shoot?” Matin asked.
Israel Feliciano was in the store minutes before the shooting, according to WCVB.
Feliciano said Siam was preparing to close for the night before the incident.
“I spoke to him, and he said he was going to mop, and then when I left the store two people came in right behind me,” Feliciano said.
Frequent store customers told reporters Siam was always friendly and helpful.
“That kid was good to everybody, you know? And it’s a damn shame,” Mary Debarros told WCVB. “Whoever did it, I hope they burn in hell.”
According to the store owner, Siam is a hard working and respectful employee. He moved to Boston only four months ago after arriving in the country from Bangladesh with a dream to get an education, WHDH reports.
“I pray for my clerk,” Matin, who said he is afraid of reopening his store, told CBS Boston. “He’s not my relative but he’s from my country, from Bangladesh.
“Get this guy and please take him to … justice,” he added, referring to the shooter.
An investigation into the shooting remains ongoing.