Liquor store clerk, 34, shot to death while confronting robbery suspects in West Covina

WEST COVINA, Calif. (KABC) -- Police in West Covina are searching for suspects who held up a liquor store and fatally shot the store clerk who confronted them.

The incident happened around 8:30 p.m. Sunday at the Big Bob's Liquor & Market convenience store on Puente and Sunset avenues, according to the West Covina Police Department.

Police say two men entered the store and stole merchandise. When the clerk confronted them, they opened fire.

The clerk, who was identified only as a 34-year-old man, was found outside the store suffering from gunshot wounds to the upper torso. He was taken to the hospital where he later died.

"He's a very nice kid. He's been with us for about a year, he has a family background," said the owner of liquor store.

Detectives at the scene Monday morning told Eyewitness News that the suspects did not take money - but they did get away with an undetermined amount of alcohol.

The owner released several images from the store's surveillance cameras, showing the two men walking together. The liquor store, which is run by a family, has been a community mainstay for decades. Customers who frequent the store passed by Monday morning and were shocked to learn about what happened.

"It's very unfortunate that this has happened because this is a wonderful family... and hopefully we can all come together and help them," one woman said.

The owner said the clerk has a wife and a 12-year-old son in India, and was planning to bring them to America next year. The owner's family is working on posting a $25,000 reward to help track down the suspects and a GoFundMe is in the works.

Anyone with information about the incident are urged to contact police at 626-939-8688.