By Khalida Sarwari and Melissa McRobbie
Police are investigating a robbery at a Watsonville market on Tuesday that ended with the murder of a 32-year-old man.
A man wearing a baggy black T-shirt walked into the Fiesta Latino Market at 451 E. Beach St. at about 1:10 p.m., pulled out a handgun and demanded money from the clerk, according to police.
The clerk complied and gave the man cash. After taking the money, the suspect shot the clerk point-blank in the chest then fled on foot, police said.
The clerk, identified as Yahya Saleh Ali Ahmed, died at the scene.
The gunman was described as a white man in his early 20s, standing 5 feet 8 inches to 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighing between 160 and 170 pounds. He had short blond hair and was wearing baggy, dark-colored jeans.
A witness saw a car leaving the scene similar to a dark green Infiniti J30, police said.
Police Lt. Darren Thompson said a man matching the suspect’s description was captured on video shoplifting from a store in the 1800 block of Fremont Street on Monday.
Investigators are looking into whether the crimes are related.
Thompson said it’s not clear why the gunman shot Ahmed after he handed over the money.
“We have pretty good surveillance video, we’re working on the audible part, but there doesn’t appear to be anything that would have provoked the shooting,” Thompson said.
Anyone with information about the murder is asked to call police investigations at (831) 768-3350 or the crime tip line at (831) 728-3544.