A terrifying scene unfolded at a Bucktown liquor store Thursday evening when a gunman shot an employee during a robbery. NBC 5’s Lexi Sutter reports.
Surveillance video from a Bucktown liquor store shows a terrifying scene that unfolded during a recent armed robbery and shooting.
The incident was reported at 10:27 p.m. Thursday inside Bucktown Food and Liquor, 1950 N. Milwaukee Ave.
While the evening began like any other, things quickly changed when at least three masked men burst through the door, pointing a gun. Surveillance video shows the customers and store employee quickly put their hands up - complying with one suspect who demanded money.
Moments later, he fires multiples shots, striking the 26-year-old employee behind the counter. The employee was struck once in the abdomen and taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition, police said.
The establishment's owner, Diptesh Patel, spent most of Friday by his employee's bedside in the hospital.
"This is the first time we’ve never had any kind of incidents happen like this before," the owner stated.
While the employee's condition was improving, Patel said both he and his staff remained traumatized.
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"I’m so frustrated and sad, what’s going on since last 12 hours," he told NBC Chicago. "It’s been very tough."
The brash crime took place just two doors down from 1st Ward Ald. Daniel LaSpata's office. In a statement, the alderman said he was shocked and angered by the shooting.
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"They have always been good neighbors to myself, our office, and our community," he said. "We will work with the 14th District to our best ability to ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice.”
No one was in custody late Friday as Area Five detectives continued to investigate.
