Thaindian News

By Arun Kumar
Washington, June 20 (IANS) US police said they are following some “good” tips in the case of the shooting death of Gurjeet Singh, an Indian American gas station clerk in Gary, Indiana and hope to arrest the suspects.

Gurjeet Singh, 26, who worked at his uncle Randy Singh’s gas station, was shot dead at about 5.15 p.m. Sunday after a brief struggle with the robbers.

On Wednesday, police released public surveillance video from the robbery. The video indicates the four suspects knew their way around the store, in the 1500 block of Grant Street in Gary, and most likely had visited it beforehand.

Police have detailed descriptions of three of the four suspects, who all fled in an older-model compact burgundy or dark red Toyota without hubcaps on the driver’s side and with a dent in the roof on the passenger side, Gary Police Detective James Bond was cited as saying Friday by local media reports.

The first suspect is described as 5 feet 8 inches, about 150 pounds, wearing a black shirt, black pants and white shoes; a second is described as 5 feet 9 inches, 145 pounds, wearing a red shirt, black shorts and black and red shoes with red shoelaces; the third is described as 5 feet 7 inches, about 140 pounds and dressed in black.

Police did not have a detailed description of the fourth.

Randy Singh told the Chicago Tribune that he trains employees at his Gary gas mini-mart to give up the cash without a fight if robbed. But there was a slight struggle between his nephew, who had worked at the business for about a year, and the robbers, according to the police.

“I feel really bad. He was a good and honest guy,” Randy Singh said.

Police say one of the four men caught on surveillance video bursting into the clerk’s booth at the convenience store was about to commit murder. The video shows a man in red run up an aisle and kick in the door to the booth. Within seconds, Gurjeet Singh, was shot in the neck.

Gary Police Department Commander Anthony Titus said what is even more senseless is the apparent inaction of bystanders standing near the front door almost the whole time.