2 dead in attempted robbery at Gardner Food Mart in Joliet

JOLIET, Ill. (WLS) -- Two people were killed in a deadly shootout during an attempted robbery at a Joliet convenience store, including the store owner's son.

Joliet police said two masked suspects entered the Gardner Food Mart around 3:15 p.m. Monday. One of the suspects pointed a handgun at a clerk and declared a robbery.

The clerk, identified as 24-year-old Mohammad Eid, took a handgun from under the counter and exchanged shots with the one of the suspects.

Eid was shot and later died at St. Joseph's Hospital. The suspects fled, but one of them was wounded and later died at St. Joseph's Hospital.

"You can't say nothing wrong of him. I mean he's always been a nice guy. It's just devastating, I can't believe it," said Debbie Brown, store customer.

"He was one of a kind, that's one loss to this community," said Howard McCullom, store customer.

The second robbery suspect also fled the scene and remains at large, police said. He is described as 5-foot-9 with a slim build, and was last seen wearing a light-colored hooded sweatshirt.

Joliet police are interviewing witnesses and reviewing security video.