Man fires at store staffer after being asked to smoke outside

GURUGRAM: A man, who is yet to be identified, was booked on Friday evening for allegedly opening fire in an inebriated state at an employee of a convenience store on being told that he could not smoke inside the store and should step out with his lighted cigarette, police said on Saturday.

Police said the store is located in Sector 22 and is open 24 hours.

They said that the incident took place around 4am on November 25, adding that the staff of the convenience store escaped unhurt.

Police said the suspect entered the store with a lit cigarette. The security guard, on spotting this, told him to step outside as smoking was not allowed within the store.

They said he put out his cigarette and entered the store after abusing the guards and staff for stopping him.

Investigators said the suspect made his purchases and then asked for help to carry the items to his car. Store associate Ashish Kumar picked up the items to load them in his car. The disgruntled suspect continued to abuse the staff before leaving.

A senior police officer said the suspect cocked his pistol just as Kumar was busy loading the items. “He suddenly opened fire at Kumar, but missed -- probably because he was extremely inebriated. Everyone panicked and Kumar ran inside the store to save himself. Someone informed the police control room and a patrolling team reached the spot,” the officer said, asking not to be named.

The officer said the suspect has escaped in his car by then. “None would dare go near him as he was brandishing the pistol and cussing loudly. All his actions were caught on camera,” he said, adding that police have got the registration number of the suspect’s car. Police said an FIR has been registered.

THE SECURITY GUARD TOLD HIM TO STEP OUTSIDE... AFTER HE CAME BACK IN, HE STARTED ABUSING THE STORE’S STAFF