Police are looking for the man who shot and killed Bilal Tinawi, an employee of a West Haven deli, on Monday morning.
Police received a 911 call at 8:20 a.m. on Monday morning reporting a man walking into Post Road Deli with a shotgun. When police arrived, they found Tinawi dead inside the deli, police said.
When Bilal's family arrived, his brother had to be held back from crossing the crime tape and going into store.
"He’s one of us. He’s one of the community. He went to the prayer this morning at dawn and he came and opened the store. He had no idea that’s going to happen, Adib Chouiki, Bilal's nephew, said.
Tinawi moved to the U.S. from Syria four years ago, the New Haven Register reports.Tinawi's mother was getting ready to come to Connecticut to visit her son. They had not seen each other in four years.
His cousin, Talal Altrabulsi of West Haven, told the Register he thought Bilal had been shot over a pack of cigarettes. Police confirmed that he was killed during a robbery,
Melann Flynn, of West Haven, was in the store on Monday morning and said Bilal was alone. She said she thought Bilal was killed in a robbery and the shooter went into the deli early, knowing the clerk would be alone.
Local
Three West Haven schools were locked down on Monday morning after the shooting.
The Carrigan School, Forest School and Living Word Ministries were both locked down because the shooter had not been caught, Supt. of Schools Neil Cavallaro but they resumed normal activities.
Police are reviewing surveillance video from the store and nearby businesses. They do not know the motive for the shooting, but have called Tinawi's death a homicide.
Monroe Staffing Services is assisting police and conducting interviews.
Police are looking for a man in his late teens or 20s, with a medium build, 6-feet tall, 220 pounds. Police believe he has left the area.
