Tennessee Clerk Fatally Shot Teenager For Allegedly Stealing Beer From Store

A 28-year-old convenience store clerk in Tennessee was charged in the fatal shooting of an alleged shoplifter whose body was later discovered near the store, authorities said Sunday.

The suspect, who was identified as Anwar Ghazali, was charged with first-degree murder for reportedly following and shooting a teenager suspected of shoplifting beer. Police officials said Ghazali failed to call the police about the incident.

The shooting took place Thursday but the teenager's body was not discovered until Saturday at 3:52 p.m. local time (4:52 p.m. EST), Tennessee daily newspaper the Commercial Appeal reported.

Authorities did not reveal the identity of the victim; however, a Fox News report named Dorian Harris as the person who was killed. Police department officials confirmed the body was discovered beside a house at 1155 Springdale, which is around 100 yards from the convenience store, Top Stop Shop, located at 1127 Springdale.

He was arrested Saturday and charged, according to Memphis Police Department’s official statement.

Louis Brownlee, spokesman for Memphis Police Department, said about the arrest, “The victim/suspect stole a beer and goes out of the store. The suspect tries to stop him. Shoots at him. Hits him once. He doesn't officially know that he hit him. Yesterday, a female comes home, sees a person lying next to the home. Calls police. We don't want people to steal from businesses. We also don't want people hunting suspects down and shooting them. If he's not giving direct, imminent danger to you, leave it be. Call the cops. Let us figure it out.”

As of now, Ghazali is being held at Shelby County Jail, Memphis. It is still unknown if he has an attorney or not.

In a similar case, a Nashville judge ruled 15-year-old girl named Trinity Quinn from Dayton would be tried as a juvenile for fatally shooting a convenience store clerk in May. She was arrested alongside 28-year-old Daniel Clark and both of them were charged in the same month.

According to a report in Rhea Herald News out of Dayton, Clark and Quinn were arrested in connection to the death of Exxon Market clerk, John Stevens. Reports stated the police officers searched for three days before arresting both the suspects.

Nashville Police had said in a statement, “After interviews with [Clark and Quinn], Nashville detectives believe that they entered the Exxon market [at around 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday] to force Stevens to give up his car keys so the two could flee the area. Surveillance video shows Clark confront Stevens at gunpoint as Quinn stands nearby inside the front door. When Clark pointed the gun at Stevens’ head at close range, Stevens grabbed at Clark’s gun hand. Clark stepped back and fired multiple rounds into Stevens’ body."