JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Police are investigating an armed robbery resulting in the shooting death of an 24-year-old employee at a Gate gas station on the Northside early Sunday morning.
The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office received a call of a person shot and armed robbery off Interstate 95 and Busch Drive around 5 a.m.
Police identified the clerk who was killed as Thomas McIntree. Several people in the area who frequent the store said they knew McIntree and are devastated by his death.
"He's a very nice man," said Lori, who works nearby. "He just is a very sweet man. I've had to go in at night and maybe pick something up he's always smiling always very friendly."
She's having a hard time understanding why things escalated so quickly.
"It's a waste of human life," Lori said. "I mean, that's -- did someone really need money that bad they had to kill somebody?"
Mitchell Rhodes, chief operating officer of Gate Petroleum Company, issued a statement saying, "We were shocked and saddened to learn of the death of a member of our GATE family and the terrible tragedies that occurred at our store early this morning. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and coworkers. We are working closely with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office to ensure those responsible are located and brought to justice and we urge anyone who has information about the crimes to please come forward."
Antionette Corbo-Whitlock said she knew the victim as well. She visits the store almost every day with her son.
"I didn't know what he did outside of here, but I know how conscientious he was about everything he did here," Corbo-Whitlock said. "And how am I, as a customer, to know all these things if it were not for the environment that this was like a neighborhood store, and we all, you know, said, 'Hi,' and 'How you doing,' and it's just sad."
Despite this tragedy, people said it will not destroy their community spirit.
"I wouldn't let something like this terrorize me," Corbo-Whitlock said. "And not doing my day-to-day things, no."
"It doesn't give me pause to go to work," Lori said. "I always have faith that I'll be OK."
Police have not released a suspect description or surveillance images from the store.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 866-845-TIPS.