Oak Cliff store clerk killed during robbery

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Police are investigating a fatal shooting of a store clerk in west Oak Cliff.

The shooting happened around 4:30 a.m. Friday at the Sunshine Food Mart on Cockrell Hill Road and Ledbetter Drive. Two masked men stormed in with a rifle to try to rob the place.

One worker said he heard gunfire so he dropped to the floor and hid in the back of the store. Several other people in the store were able to hide, but the clerk, 60-year-old Mwafaq Shararah was shot in the chest. He died at the scene.

Store Manager Ahmad Ghali said Shararah had only worked at the store for a few weeks. He recently moved to North Texas from Jordan, where he served in the Special Forces. He wanted to provide for his family back in Jordan.

“The customer told the clerk somebody have a gun outside walking around the store. He didn’t know what to do. He just was staying there,” said Ghali. “All of a sudden, the other guy in the restroom heard the shot and he came in, open the door and saw him lying down on the floor.”

Ghali says he reviewed the video surveillance with police and says Shararah tried to wrestle what appeared to be an AK-47 from one of the men before pushing him back through the store window and shutting the glass. That's when the gunman with the rifle shot right through the glass and killed him.

Cora Canady lived next-door to the store for nearly a decade and says there are people up to no good and loitering there around the clock. And just two weeks ago, she says she called the police after hearing gunshots.

“I had a feeling something was going to happen,” said Canady. “This don't make sense. This man was trying to work and take care of his family. It's horrible! It needs to stop!"

Shararah also leaves behind a wife and children.

Police are still looking for the two masked men but did not have good descriptions to release.

Police also believe the suspects are responsible for a robbery at a 7-Eleven store on Singleton Boulevard earlier that same day.