Masked men shoot and kill store clerk in attempted gas station robbery: Police

Jeff Ehling Image
Monday, October 7, 2019
Masked men shoot and kill store clerk in gas station robbery
Odai Qadous was gunned down by masked men during a robbery attempt at the gas station where he worked.

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A store clerk was shot to death during a robbery attempt early Monday morning at a Valero on Reed Road just off Highway 288.

Surveillance photos from inside the convenience store show the three suspects.

Surveillance photos from inside the convenience store show the two suspects.

One man is wearing what looks like an alien mask while the other two wore black masks.

Officers found Oday Qadous dead inside the Valero. Police say the suspects opened fire on the clerk within minutes of walking into the store.

"He was carelessly gunned down by these horrible individuals who didn't care anything about anyone else's life or livelihood but their own," HPD Lt. W.L. Miller said.

Police say the three suspects took off in a dark-colored Nissan. They believe the men didn't steal anything.

Officers say Qadous, a 29-year-old Palestinian man, was a recent immigrant to the United States.

"This is horrible. This man, 29 years old, came to this country for a better life, to support his family, and he gets gunned down for it ... it's not right. These guys need to be caught," Lt. Meeler with HPD Homicide said.

Many of Qadous' friends showed up at the gas station after the shooting in disbelief.

"His mom, of course, was crying and everyone was freaking out. They are crying and are very, very sad. It is just very bad news," Quadous' friend Mohammad Issa said.

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