A 32-year-old man working inside a grocery store in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood was shot to death late Tuesday morning, according to officials.
According to police, the man was working inside Sanford Foods on the 500 block of North Laramie Avenue around 11:35 a.m. when an unknown gunman wearing a mask entered the store and fired multiple shots at the employee.
According to authorities, the employee was struck many times in the head and body and was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in critical condition, where he was later pronounced dead.
Family members and the store manager identified the man as Armontye Alexander of Chicago.
“The only thing my nephew was trying to do was make a living for him and his kids. He wasn’t out here in the street, he wouldn’t bother nobody,” Alexander’s aunt, Marie Meeks, said.
A cashier and a delivery driver were also present inside the business during the incident. The store’s manager informed NBC Chicago that Alexander had been there for about three weeks.
According to 37th Ward Ald. Emma Mitts, the shooting looked to be targeted and not an effort at robbery.
“It makes no sense to me, and my sister now has to bury her child. That is unheard of. It just shouldn’t be,” Meeks said.
Alexander’s family stated that he was the oldest of three children and a father of three, the youngest of which is two years old.
There was no one in custody, and Area Four detectives are investigating the shooting.
There was no more information available.