Harshad Patel leaves behind his wife, twin daughters.
AB Wire
Three teenage suspects have been arrested, and a lookout is on for a fourth suspect by the Chesterfield County, Virginia, police in Monday night’s slaying and attempted robbery of a convenience store owner, Harshad Patel, 55, who had emigrated to the US from Gujarat, and had recently become a US citizen.
Investigators late Wednesday arrested Thomas L. Jennings III, 18, of the 6900 block of Able Road in Chesterfield. Police said Jennings turned himself in. Police then identified and located two additional suspects — Trayvon M. Wilhite, 19, of the 4200 block of Cedardale Lane, also in Chesterfield, and a 14-year-old male whose name was withheld because of his age — and placed them under arrest. It wasn’t immediately clear when they were apprehended, reported the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
Patel was found unconscious and mortally wounded after police responded to his store about 10:30 p.m. He died after being taken to the hospital.
A family friend said Patel’s wife, Sarla Patel, who co-owns the store, was on her way to pick up her husband when she encountered a heavy police presence at the store and learned he had been shot. She later informed friends and family that her husband had suffered a gunshot wound that apparently entered his arm and traveled to his chest near his heart.
Thursday evening, just as police were announcing the arrests, about 150 people gathered outside of Harshad Patel’s convenience store, Marketplace #21 at 6811 Walmsley Blvd., for a candlelight vigil celebrating his life.
Charles Willis, the executive director of United Communities Against Crime, led the vigil and spoke, drawing cheers and applause from the audience.
Several who spoke said they had met Patel, 55, first as customers but came to know him as a friend. Those friends said he always made a point to know his customers personally and would ask sincere questions about them and their families. They said he greeted them similarly, with a smile and by calling them “buddy” or “friend.”
Jennings was charged with being a principal in the second degree to second-degree murder, use of a firearm in a felony, attempted robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery in relation to the incident. He made a brief court appearance Thursday by video from the Chesterfield Jail, where he is being held, the Times-Dispatch reported.
Wilhite, who was arrested in Chesterfield on Tuesday on unrelated charges, was charged with first-degree murder, use of a firearm in a felony, attempted robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery in connection with Patel’s slaying. He is being held without bond at Riverside Regional Jail.
Police said their investigation indicates Wilhite fired the shot that killed Patel, who was working as a clerk at The Marketplace #21 on Monday.
The 14-year-old male has been charged with being a principal in the second degree to second-degree murder, use of a firearm in a felony, attempted robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery in relation to the incident. He is being held at the Chesterfield Juvenile Detention Home.
Also on Thursday, police continued to look for the fourth suspect, described as wearing a hooded sweatshirt and black ski mask at the time of Monday’s fatal shooting.
Following Thursday’s vigil, Sarla Patel said her husband was a loving, caring man, who was “always smiling” and was a great husband.
In the parking lot of the convenience store, dozens surrounded Sarla Patel, taking turns hugging her and telling her how much they cared about her husband. “RIP Mr. Patel” had been written onto the pavement at the store entrance, where hundreds of flowers had been placed, along with dozens of candles and many stuffed animals.
The Patels, who have 2-year-old twin daughters, purchased the business — near Walmsley Boulevard and Turner Road — about three years ago, family friends said.
CBS 6 News reported a man kneeled and prayed by a convenience store’s front door Tuesday night. He was part of a community mourning the loss of Patel.
Patel’s friends came to pay their respects to a man they said would do anything for anybody in this community.
“[Killed for] no reason, man,” friend Louis Galaviz said. “He has a family. I’ve got pain in my heart.”
Patel recently became a naturalized citizen and moved his wife and young twin boys to the United States.
“It’s having a big impact here. A lot of people knew this guy,” said Daniel Vidal.
ABC News quoted community members mourning for Patel.
“It’s really sad, really sad. He was nice guy, real nice,” said Francisco Garcia, who lives across the street from the store.
“He was a really good friend of mine, we spoke about any and everything, he knew my children,” said Nickelus F, a customer of Patel’s.
“Miss him dearly, miss him already, this is one of the reasons why the community is coming together tonight,” said Charles Willis, who works across the street from the store.