Store clerk, 67, fatally shot during robbery inside Exxon gas station market in Tacony, police say

PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia homicide detectives are investigating after a gas station store attendant was fatally shot during a robbery in Tacony. 

According to Chief Inspector Scott Small, just after 4 a.m., 15th District officers responded to reports of a shooting victim inside the office of an Exxon gas station on the 7100 block of Torresdale Avenue. 

When police arrived on scene and found a 67-year-old male store clerk in the office area lying on the ground unresponsive with a gunshot wound to the back, authorities say. 

Medics arrived on scene as officers were moving the clerk from the back office to the front of the store, and he was pronounced dead at 4:10 a.m., Small says. 

Police say 15th District officers knew the store clerk, identified by police as Siboram Patro, who had worked at the location for several years. 

Investigators found one spent shell casing inside the office, where the clerk was found, Small says. 

Officials say the entire incident was captured on surveillance video inside the store. 

According to Small, the video shows three men wearing masks forcing their way into the back office and attacking the clerk. 

After the clerk collapses, one of the suspects can be seen taking the cash register from the office, police say. 

FOX 29's Steve Keeley was on scene when police arrived to investigate and examine the surveillance video. 

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A friend of the attendant, who asked to remain anonymous, spoke to Keeley after the shooting, detailing the attendant's fears of working in the area. 

"He would take his smoke breaks often and we had a conversation where he said he was too scared to come take a smoke break," the friend said. "Which I don't understand why he left the side of the counter. He never does anymore." 

FOX 29 has learned the victim leaves behind a wife and son who are shocked and heartbroken.

Longtime customers said the victim was a good person who didn’t deserve this.

"I come here for snacks, gas, literally anything. He was really a good guy. It’s really sad that it happened to him," said customer Tahir Little.

Shahid Jan, who has known the victim for 15 years, stopped by the store on Tuesday after hearing the news. 

"A couple dollars and you kill somebody. That's really not fair," Jan said. 

Police say the case is active and ongoing with the Homicide Detectives Division.