By MATTHEW HAAG / The Dallas Morning News
Sam Ghebreyesus’ father called his son’s cellphone several times Friday night to set a time to pick him up from work at a southeast Dallas gas station and convenience store.
Each time, the phone just rang and rang.
“He never answered,” Mr. Ghebreyesus’ cousin Tesfa Kidane said.
Around 10 p.m., the father drove to the station and found a cluster of police cars. An hour earlier, police said, three men had entered Haskell Food Store, at Haskell Avenue and Dolphin Road, robbed Mr. Ghebreyesus and shot him in the chest.
People walking to the store saw the three men run in different directions, said Joe Lopez, 12, who lives in the neighborhood. The customers called 911 after finding Mr. Ghebreyesus on his back behind the cash register.
Police said they had some leads, though the two security cameras outside the store were inoperable.
“It’s a mystery at this point,” said homicide Lt. Craig Miller.
Joe, who went outside when he heard sirens at the station, saw paramedics roll Mr. Ghebreyesus out on a gurney, his arms grasping his chest.
The 26-year-old Dallas man died later at Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas.
“We were friends,” Joe said.
He had met Mr. Ghebreyesus last year, and they would hang out and talk at the station. If Joe didn’t have money for a candy bar, Mr. Ghebreyesus would let him pay later.
Around noon Saturday, some of Mr. Ghebreyesus’ family arrived at the station. Yellow crime scene tape blocked the doors, but Mr. Kidane peeked through the thick black bars covering the windows.
“He was a real nice kid,” Mr. Kidane said. “Family-oriented.”
Mr. Ghebreyesus loved his family, never missing a birthday or forgetting a gift, Mr. Kidane said. He said Mr. Ghebreyesus planned to work at the gas station until he could save enough money to attend community college.
Mr. Ghebreyesus also was close to the children of another cousin, Goitom Zeru, especially Mr. Zeru’s 26-year-old son in Washington, D.C.
“He always took them around,” Mr. Zeru said. “He told them to be good and to stay in school.”
Two people pulled in front of the gas station a few minutes past noon Saturday and placed flowers on the ground below the yellow tape. Mr. Zeru, who had just made a phone call, stood with his back to the store and cried.
“I just told my son,” he said.