Police make arrest in clerk’s killing
MIDWEST CITY — A 17-year-old wanted on murder and robbery complaints was arrested Saturday in connection with the shooting death of a Midwest City store clerk.
About 12:30 p.m., police arrested Samuel Myers at a relative’s home in northeast Oklahoma City. Midwest City Police Chief Brandon Clabes said Myers was taken into custody without incident and was booked into Oklahoma County jail.
Myers is accused of going into GI’s Market, 10001 NE 10, about 7:45 a.m. Sept. 17 and robbing and shooting Salman Tahir, 33. Police said the attacker fled on foot, and Tahir was found by a customer and taken to a hospital, where he died about two hours later.
Surveillance video from the store showed Tahir with his arms above his head as the robber took cash out of a register. Clabes said the robber then shot the store’s surveillance system and shot Tahir in the back.
“It is a huge sigh of relief that Myers has been apprehended,” Clabes said. “This was a team effort and special thanks goes to the United States Marshall’s task force, Oklahoma City Police Department, our investigators and street crimes unit, the media and the public in bringing this violent offender to justice.”
‘Sam’
Tahir, known to some of his customers as Sam, had worked at the store about two years, and his 4-year-old daughter and wife had just moved to Oklahoma City about three weeks before he was shot, according to frequent customer and friend, Kelly Norris, 34, of Midwest
City.
“I’m happy that he is now off the streets,” Norris said of Myers’ arrest. “I’ve been letting all of his family back in Pakistan know that Myers has been arrested. The police have been out doing their job the best they can, and we support them.”
Norris said Tahir was known to go the extra mile for his customers, saying that he always greeted people with a smile and asked how they were. He said Tahir was known to help pump the gas for older customers dealing with mobility problems.
“He knew all of his customers. If you bought anything behind the counter, he’d have it waiting for you,” Norris said. “He had a very big heart; he loved everybody; he had no enemies. Everybody in our community loved Sam.”
Norris said Tahir had spent the past four years trying to get his family resident status in the U.S., adding that it was such a financial strain that his friend had “nothing” when he was killed.
“Sam was working extra hours at the store so he could get his wife and daughter what they needed,” Norris said.
Donation boxes have been placed inside the store and at 15th Street Grill, 1204 E Lockheed Drive, and all money collected will go to support Tahir’s wife and child.