11/4/2008 Memphis Tennessee -- An elderly man was gunned down in a Memphis convenience store and the crime was caught on video.
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It all happened at the Pali Market, located at the 1000 block of Chelsea. The gunman shot and killed 68-year-old Eada Zhad.
He also wounded a 38-year-old female relative stocking shelves and then tried to go after the owner's son. Fortunately, he wasn't hit.
The shooter was dressed in a white shirt and dark pants. Police say he was wearing a bandanna. In the video, you can see him point a gun at the store owner and pull the trigger.
Police debated over releasing the tape to the media. Some of the video is too graphic for TV. But with no solid leads, they're hoping the video will help catch the shooter.
"We felt like it was our best hope of getting this individual off the street," said Major Joe Scott of the Memphis Police Department.
Zhad died on the floor of his own family run business. 3 lives tragically changed in less than 10 seconds. And police have no idea why.
"The motive is not clear, other than it is not a robbery because there was no demand made," said Major Scott.
Customers walked past the crime tape today. Some left stuffed animals for the victims.
Next door at a gas station, it was all folks were talking about. It's a crime that's left many shaken.
"They are nice people, they worked up there more than 30 years," said gas station worker Belaoie Zeleke.
Investigators are gathering evidence from the 2 surviving victims.
The woman's condition is improving, but there's a language barrier so they must use a translator.
Right now, with no motive police hope that releasing the video will encourage anyone who recognizes the shooter to come forward.
One person police really want to talk to is an unidentified woman who was standing outside the store around 5:45 p.m. Tuesday night smoking a cigarette. Police believe the gunman passed right by her.
11-06-2008, 10:11 AM
