An investigation has revealed that two male suspects entered the store at about 10.50 p.m. and stole cash and two large boxes of cigarettes, then fired several shots, one of which struck Dharmapreet Singh Jasser.
A 20-year-old Indian student was shot dead on Monday night at the Tackle Box just outside Madera, California.
Dharmapreet Singh Jasser, of Nawanshahr, Punjab, was murdered by armed robbers while he was working at a local grocery store next to a gas station, The Indian Express reported.
The Caruthers-resident came to the United States about three years ago on a student visa and was working at the minimart on a part-time basis. His grandparents also live in the US and his parents and twin sister live in Nawanshahr, Punjab.
Jassar’s grandfather Bhag Singh informed the tragic news to the family members in Punjab on Wednesday morning and told that the youth was attacked while at work.
According to the Madera County Sheriff’s office, they received a call about a possible shooting at the Tackle Box gas station and mini-mart on Road 26 at about 11.00 p.m. on Monday night. When deputies arrived, they discovered the male employee, who was fatally shot during the robbery.
The investigation has revealed that two male suspects entered the store at about 10.50 p.m. and stole cash and two large boxes of cigarettes, then fired several shots, one of which struck Jasser.
The Fresno County Sheriff’s deputy arrested 22-year-old Indian American Armitraj Singh Athwal, of Modesto, in connection with the incident and he was taken into custody about 40 minutes after the robber, the Madera County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post.
Madera Sheriff’s Lt. Bill Ward connected Athwal’s arrest with the crime after seeing media coverage of the robbery on Tuesday. A warrant has been obtained for the suspect and he will be transferred to the Madera Department of Corrections. Athwal’s vehicle was stored and will be processed for evidence.
Madera Sheriff Jay Varney called Jasser a “completely innocent victim, just doing his job when he was killed by this robber.â€
“Shocked at the gruesome killing of Nawanshahr’s Dharampreet Singh in California. @SushmaSwaraj ji, request to you to take up the issue at highest levels with US authorities to ensure justice for the family,†Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh tweeted.
Shocked at the gruesome killing of Nawanshahr’s Dharampreet Singh in California. @SushmaSwaraj ji, request to you to take up the issue at highest levels with US authorities to ensure justice for the family.
— Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) November 16, 2017
The detectives are also studying video evidence of the incident and are searching for the other robbers. Anyone with information related to the incident is asked to contact the Madera County Sheriff’s Office at 559-675-7770 or Valley CrimeStoppers at 559-498-STOP.