Watch CBS News

Cell Phone Store Owner Shoots, Kills Robber

CHICAGO (CBS) -- A man trying to rob a South Side cell phone store was shot and killed by the store's owner Tuesday evening, police said.

About 6:30 p.m. a man in his 20s armed with a handgun tried to rob a cell phone store in the 1700 block of East 87th Street.

The store's owner, armed with a handgun himself, shot an killed the would-be robber, police said.

As residents along 87th Street learned of the shooting, the reaction from folks fed up with crime was the same.

"If you do bad, you deserve bad," one resident told CBS 2's Jim Williams.

DeMarcus Brandon, 25, had been just released from this prison this summer, after serving time for armed robbery.

Police say he tried to stick up the store last night and exchanged gunfire with an employee.

He died at the scene.

The store was closed today.

Nasser Diab, who owns property on 87th, says the store owners are good people.

"They have a good reputation among their customers. Absolutely," said Diab.

Not long ago, 87th Street east of the Stony Island was a thriving commercial district.

Cristalle Lewis said, "This was the creme dela creme. This was Pill Hill. Anybody who was somebody lived in this area."

Today, the strip is in trouble. Last June, Nasser Diab closed his clothing store. Too much crime, he said.

"I was robbed several times at gunpoint," Diab said.

People here said they're glad somebody fought back.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.