7-Eleven employee shot after asking for ID during cigarette purchase: Police

By WPVI Digital Staff and Katherine Scott

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    PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — Philadelphia police are searching for the gunman who shot a 7-Eleven employee Sunday night.

It happened just after 9 p.m. on the 2900 block of South 70th Street in Southwest Philadelphia.

Police say two males entered the store and one asked an employee for cigarettes.

According to police, the 24-year-old male employee requested identification from the customer, which is state law.

Police say the customer began to argue with the clerk and refused to provide ID.

The employee said he would not be able to sell the customer any tobacco products.

The argument escalated and one of the customers, believed to be in his 20s, pulled out a gun, reached underneath the Plexiglass divider and fired at least three shots.

The employee was hit multiple times in his neck and arm.

The suspects fled the store.

Officers assigned to the 12th district security detail were doing a routine security check went into the store and saw the employee suffering from gunshot wounds.

The employee was taken to an area hospital where he was placed in critical condition.

No arrests have been made.

“The gun violence in the city is pervasive as we know. We’re dealing with it; it’s a challenge. This is just another prime example of the wrong people with weapons and firearms committing these acts,” Captain Anthony Ginaldi said.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 215-686-TIPS.

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