The victim is identified as 40-year-old Elahmadi Goba.
Police say the shooting happened during an apparent robbery Tuesday night in Chicago's Gresham neighborhood.
The store owner says the shooting was caught on videotape by an elaborate surveillance system setup inside and outside the N & A Food Market on West 84th Street near Racine.
The shooting has left area residents upset, and they hope police will be able to find the gunman quickly.
A protective glass partition near the register wasn't enough to stop the bullets, and a cautionary sign on the front door warning customers to remove their hoodies, coupled with a highly visible surveillance system, didn't deter the robbers who shot and killed Goba.
"We walked into the store, and the first thing I saw was the bullet holes," said Sam Fox, who works next door. "Then we looked for the attendant, and we looked behind the counter, and there he was motionless on the floor."
Goba was shot and killed just before 7:30 p.m. Tuesday night. The crime was captured on videotape, according to the store's owner. The video apparently shows two men inside and a few outside, but no faces are visible.
Those who knew the clerk called him "Eli."
"The whole neighborhood is upset," said customer Bryon Williams.
"I come in there and Eli would be like, 'Hey, you want some coffee or something this morning, how are you doing this morning?' " said customer Sam Wright. "He'd give me whatever I want. Just a beautiful person."
Customers say Goba was from Yemen and had a heart of gold, giving patrons things for free if they didn't have enough to pay him.
Goba had only been working at the store for about five months.
"I only know him for two months. But that two months feels like two years. He is such a nice person," said Pakil Hussein, friend
"We want justice, because it don't make no sense," said customer Chauncey Moses. "He would have gave you the shirt off his back, so you didn't have to even-- if they robbed him they didn't have to kill the man."
"They're going to get justice," said customer Ashley Walker. "I believe in my heart that they will get it."
No suspects are in custody.
The store is closed until further notice.
