The 35-year-old victim, Bassem Alkhateeb, was working when two suspects tried to rob the store on Saturday night.
[Ads /]
Alkhateeb, whose birthday is Tuesday, leaves behind two young children and a wife who are now coping with the devastating loss as police try to find the suspects.
Friends and loved ones gathered at the Masjed Noor Al-Islam Society before the funeral prayer for Alkhateeb. They prayed for him and demanded harsher penalties so that criminals will think twice about assaulting or killing hard-working store owners like him.
"Be a man and come forward, you took an innocent man's life - he had two children and a widow," said Hazem Al Asad, the co-owner of store.
The suspects didn't get away with anything and then drove away in a red or maroon Jeep or SUV.
[Ads /]
The crime happened in a community that Alkhateeb thought was safe and a good place to raise his family.
"He wanted to have a good business, safe home, buy a house and make a life... wanted the best for his kids - be a doctor," said his wife Khadiga Abo-Obaid.
Friends say he was the most loving and understanding store owner - he never even demanded payment. He kept a black book so that he could extend store credit to people could not pay.
"I've never seen a violent moment from this man, for those two men to come in here and kill him like that, I don't understand," said friend Azimna Burgosgorham.
Jennifer McKenzie worked for him and was with him an hour before he was killed.
[Ads /]
"He was like a father to me," she said.
ALSO READ | Suspect charged with murder in Brooklyn, Queens shooting spree on illegal scooter
Suspet charged wth murder in Queens, Brooklyn shooting spree on illegal scooter
----------
* More Staten Island news
* Send us a news tip
* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts
* Follow us on YouTube