Family Dollar employee fatally shot trying to stop a shoplifter

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A 30-year-old Family Dollar employee was fatally shot Tuesday afternoon while trying to stop a shoplifter in the 7900-block of South Ashland Avenue in Chicago's Auburn Gresham neighborhood, police said.

At around 5:30 p.m., the male victim was working at the store when he tried to stop someone from shoplifting. The offender then shot the victim in the chest at close range and fled, police said.

"I heard three shots. They sounded like firecrackers. And then the manager ran right past me. He grabbed my arm. He fell down, and he said, 'I've been shot,'" says a customer who was inside the store at the time. She asked not to be identified.

She and another woman tried to save his life.

"I raised his shirt up and I saw where the hole was in his chest. And I told her to put pressure right there. That's where we both started putting pressure, and I took my hands off and told her to leave her pressure on," she says.

The man was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

"Literally I just walked out and just spoke with him, and five seconds later I see police pull up and everything," said customer Jade peters.

Area South detectives are investigating. No one is in custody.

Investigators are combing the store for evidence and scouring possible surveillance footage. They spent about three hours in the store Tuesday night.

"You can only run so far. There's cameras all over 79th Street right here. Your picture soon is going to be out in public," says community activists and crisis responder Andrew Holmes.

In a statement, a Family Dollar spokesperson said: "We are currently working with authorities in Chicago to fully understand the situation, and we are assisting them in every way we can as they conduct their investigation. As this is an active investigation, I am unable to comment further."