Employee fatally shot trying to stop shoplifter at Auburn Gresham store

CHICAGO (FOX 32 News) - Chicago police say a 30-year-old man, believed to be the store manager on duty at the time, was shot in the chest as he tried to stop another man from shoplifting something from the Family Dollar store at 79th and Ashland. It happened around 5 p.m. Tuesday night.

A Police evidence tech was seen going inside the Family Dollar to process the scene for any fingerprints or other evidence.

Right outside the store is a security camera and there are many others inside. Detectives will be reviewing the security video hoping for leads on the identity of the gunman.

A man who would only give his first name, out of concern for retaliation, had just left the store minutes before the shooting happened.

“We heard what we thought were firecrackers, but it turned out it wasn't firecrackers, that someone had actually got shot,” Anthony said.

Several current or former employees rushed to the scene trying to gather what information they could, but they declined to be interviewed. But one customer said she found the shooting strangely coincidental after an incident with a female employee just a few weeks ago.

“She got hostile with me, but before she got hostile with me she was running her mouth, talking about, yea, I'll have somebody stick this mother (expletive), 'scuse me for swearing, but that's what she said, I'll have somebody stick this mother up,” said Ora Lee Stratten.

She would later share the same story with police. The victim in this shooting was rushed to Advocate Christ Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

As a crowd continued to gather outside the store, they couldn't help be stunned by the senseless nature of what happened.

“It's appalling, it's appalling, Family Dollar you would think you'd be safe,” Anthony said, echoing the sentiments of others.

As of late Tuesday no one was in custody.