(KMOV.com) – Authorities have released surveillance photos of a suspect they say shot and killed a convenience store clerk in south St. Louis on Monday.
Police said 30-year-old Mon Rai was killed by a gunman at the 7-Eleven located at Gravois and Bates around 12:30 a.m.
Officers responded after a customer found Rai lying on the floor bleeding, suffering from a gunshot wound to the back.
He was transported to an area hospital where he was later pronounced dead.
Rai, a Bhutanese refugee who was excited about his new life in America, leaves behind a pregnant wife due to give birth any day.
Authorities have released surveillance photos of both the suspect and a person they think witnessed the crime.
Authorities said the suspect was armed with a silver, semi-automatic handgun and appears to have a light complexion. He is between 5-foot-6 and 5-foot-9 with a medium to stocky build. The suspect was wearing a unique black jacket, black pants, black tennis shoes, black gloves and a black ski mask.
Police said the witness is a black male with a medium-brown complexion and is between 5-feet-9 and 5-feet-11. He has a thin build and facial hair. His hair is worn in a medium length afro on top with close cut sides.
Anyone with information on the witness and the suspect is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 866-371-TIPS. All calls are anonymous.
A fund has been set up for Rai’s family at Southern Commercial Bank. Donations can be made at any branch.
His death marked the second time in two weeks that a refugee was fatally shot in a St. Louis convenience store. Nineteen-year-old Bosnian Haris Gogic was killed on May 31.
Police say the shootings are apparently unrelated. A 23-year-old man was charged last week with murder in the death of Gogic.