Police: 7-Eleven owner shot in botched robbery

NORTHEAST PHILADELPHIA (WTXF) - A Northeast Philadelphia store owner is fighting for his life after a botched robbery.

Customers arriving at the 7-Eleven on Welsh Road Monday evening were shocked to learn that the owner was fighting for his life at a local hospital. The man everyone knows as 'Bob' was shot in the chest Sunday morning by an armed robber as he tried to flee the store.

"Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful man. Wonderful man," Eleanor Jones told FOX 29. "I'm so sad. He such a beautiful person. He, his wife, his daughter."

"I just can't imagine why someone would do that," Sharach Berman said. He owns the computer store just a couple doors down in the shopping plaza

Berman has known 'Bob' the 7-Eleven owner for 18 years. They do business together. He says you couldn't find a nicer guy.

"I'm just praying for him to make sure that he recovers," Berman said.

Police say just before 10 a.m. Sunday morning when a gunman entered the store and demanded money. When the 46-year-old female cashier had trouble opening the register, the gunman attacked her. That's when 48-year-old 'Bob' came running from the rear freezer area to help.

"Probably heard the commotion and ran into the guy with the gun and was shot in the chest," Northeast Detectives Lt. Dennis Rosenbaum said.

The gunman escaped with the cash draw as police raced the owner to the hospital.

'When these things happen sometimes I can't imagine how much evil we have in this world," Berman said.

The female 7-Eleven cashier is OK. The store reopened Monday around six. Police have surveillance video of the suspect from the store and several surrounding businesses. they also recovered forensic evidence at the crime scene.

There was no word about how much money the gunman escaped with.