Two suspects are at large and 54-year-old Elie Nehme, owner of Classic Liquors, is in serious but stable condition after being shot in the leg and face by a shotgun-toting robber who burst into his store Thursday night and drove away with an accomplice.
The shooter and a man who sat in the parked getaway car behind the liquor store remain at large.
Cranston Police identified Nehme as the victim and said they're looking for the suspect, described as a male standing about six feet tall with a medium build last seen wearing a black hooded sweatshirt with a red T-shirt pulled over it.
Police said witnesses in the area saw a small, dark colored car pull into an alley between two houses on Tweed Street, behind the liquor store. It parked with its headlights off but the tail and brake lights remained illuminated.
The witnesses told police they saw the suspect get out of the passenger side of the car and go into the store. They then heard loud arguing, someone shouted "GUN!" and then two gunshots were heard.
The suspect then ran out of the store with the hood of his sweatshirt pulled up over his head and face into the getaway car which sped off towards Plainfield Street.
Witnesses said the car had round tail lights and some of the incident was recorded by the store's video surveillance system, which shows the suspect walk into the store with a shotgun and blue duffel bag and confront Nehme who was behind the counter.
A struggle ensued and the suspect then shot Nehme in the left leg and face. The suspect then picked up the bag and ran from the store.
Nehme was rushed to Rhode Island Hospital and remains in serious but stable condition.
Anyone with any information is asked to call Cranston Police immediately.
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