NEW YORK (TIP): Two Indian Americans, Parmjit Singh, 44, and Parthey Patel, 30, were the victims of a shooting that happened at two different gas stations and convenience stores in Rome, Georgia, according to a myajc.com report.
Singh was pronounced dead at the scene while Patel is still in critical condition, according to myajc.com.
Police say that Lamar Rashad Nicholson, 28, walked into the Hi-Tech Quick Stop on Burnett Ferry Road on the night of Feb. 6 a little before 9 p.m. and walked “right up to the counter pulls a gun out of his right pocket, fires 3 rounds, and runs out, he’s in and out in under 12 seconds,” Floyd County Police Sgt. William Wacker told Fox News.
Police added that there was no robbery or altercation.
Ten minutes later, Nicholson got into his car, drove a mile and a half down the road and entered Elm Street Food and Beverage, another convenience store, stealing some money before shooting Patel, according to myajc.com.
“For whatever reason after he stuffed his pockets full of money he shot the clerk anyway,” Rome Police Lt. John Walters told Fox News.
According to Fox News, while Patel was being rushed to the hospital, police spotted Nicholson in his car less than two miles away, along with a pistol and some money on the seat.
According to myajc.com, Nicholson was arrested on multiple charges including murder, aggravated robbery, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm while committing a crime and use of a firearm by a convicted felon though he was not charged with robbery in Singh’s shooting; he is being held without bond in the Floyd County jail.
Nicholson, a convicted felon, was arrested just a few weeks ago for violently snatching up his 3-year-old daughter by the arm, according to a report from the Floyd County sheriff’s office. He faced charges of child cruelty, disorderly conduct and simple battery in connection with that incident.
Friends of Singh, who was also known as “Remi,” dropped off balloons and flowers in front of his store and prayed for his two children who are in high school.
“That’s the sad part, they’ve got to grow up the rest of their lives without a dad because someone wanted to take their anger out on him,” Michael Dykes, a friend, told Fox News.
Singh’s brother-in-law, Harry Singh, remembered him as a “personable man who was friendly with everyone he met.”
“Whenever we all sit down and have a family get-together, he’s always the center of attention. He’s the one who tells us stories and jokes,” Harry Singh told myajc.com.
Harry told myajc.com that his brother-in-law started out driving limousines in New York before moving to Michigan to get into the convenience store business.
“He moved to Georgia about five years ago to be closer to family and ended up owning two stores in Rome, one on Martha Berry Boulevard and another on Burnett Ferry Road, where he died. He and his wife of 20 years had just bought a house, one of his lifetime goals. He was a very hardworking man and worked 14 hours a day,” Harry told myajc.com.
Singh’s customers paid a tribute to him on Facebook, remembering his as “a kind and polite man who enjoyed joking with his customers.”
Florence McCain, one of Singh’s customers, told myajc.com that his family had just bought and renovated the Burnett Ferry store in September.
“They were just so nice, the whole family. I was kidding with him just a couple of weeks ago,” McCain said.
Daniela Comacho told myajc.com that she shopped at the Hi Tech Quick Stop specifically because of Singh’s kindness.
“I liked to go, not because it was close by but because of how nice of a person he was. He was always interested in knowing that everyone was having a good day,” Comacho said.