Indian American storekeeper shot during armed robbery in Ohio dead

An Indian American man was shot dead in Fairfield, Ohio, by two armed assailants during a store robbery on Friday, December 4.

According to police, Karunakar Karengel who was a storekeeper at Jiffy Convenience Mart located in Camelot Drive, off Dixie Highway, was shot by two armed men at around 10 p.m.

The Fairfield Fire Department team, who attended the wounded Karengel first, took him to UC West Chester Hospital and was later moved to UC Medical Center where he succumbed to his bullet injuries.

“I’m sorry that it happened,” Kim Cannon said who works across the street from Jiffy Mart at Laundry Station to Local12.com

“It scares me, even more, knowing that the guys, or whoever it was, were parked behind our building and I was working that night and could have walked out,” Cannon said. “It was shocking to hear that somebody was actually killed. There have been several robberies in our strip mall with the African store and Jiffy’s but nothing with the LaRosa’s or us. It’s still frightening.”

Police have confirmed that the assailants after shooting Karengel twice robbed cash and fled the scene.

Police have not received any clue about the robbers and have requested the help of the public in nabbing them. Anyone with information is asked to call at 896-8200 or through the city’s website.

Back home, in Karimnagar, Telangana, Karengel is remembered by his relatives as a hardworking family man who migrated to the US to pay back debts and to support his wife and kid.

A GoFundMe page created by Karengel’s brother-in-law Mahesh says the death of his in-law has abruptly deprived his family a source of income, “which was and is sole basis of the future of my sister and her son.”

As of now, the GoFundMe Page has received $3,726 of $50,000 goal.

“My Uncle lost his life abruptly on Dec 8th in a senseless act of violence. He was shot by unidentified armed burglars at a convenience store in Fairfield, Ohio and was a victim of crime. Our family is still dealing with the shock of this sudden loss. I request you to join me in praying for my uncle and his family,” wrote his nephew Samarender Karengel on Facebook.

“To the person who robbed the Jiffy Mart in Fairfield, Ohio and shot and killed my friend Karengle Karunakar I hope you rot. You killed a good man who had a family and worked so hard to get his son through school in India,” wrote Star Kuhn, a friend of Karunakar Karengel on Facebook.

He also requested people with information about Karunakar Karengel’s assailants to come forward and help his family to get justice.