US Crime
US horror: Gujarati-origin shopkeeper shot dead in store robbery
An Indian-origin shop owner was shot dead during an armed robbery at his store in the United States, police said.
The victim was identified as 56-year-old Suresh Parsottamdas Patel, a native of Gujarat.
The Jackson Police Department said it was investigating an armed robbery and shooting that took place on the evening of Thursday, August 20, 2026, at Ridgecrest Cellars. According to reports, the shop had opened only a few days earlier.
In a statement, police said a witness reported that an unidentified suspect entered the establishment, brandished a weapon and demanded cash from employees.
"After taking the money from the employee, the suspect fired multiple shots, striking one of the store employees," police said.
The victim was found dead at the scene and was identified as Suresh Patel, 56, police said.
Describing the suspect, police said he was a Black male wearing a grey hoodie, jeans and black work-style boots. His face was covered with a paintball-style mask, and he was seen fleeing the business in a white sedan.
In a separate incident, a 28-year-old Indian-origin man from Punjab, Gurdeep Singh, was shot dead while delivering pizza in New York City on Friday. Police suspect the incident may have stemmed from road rage.
According to CBS News, police received a 911 call at around 10 p.m. reporting a shooting on Crescent Street near Stanley Avenue in East New York.
When officers arrived, they found Singh suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest. He was rushed to a hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead.
The two incidents have brought renewed attention to the safety of Indian-origin workers and business owners in the United States.
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