Man shot multiple times inside Germantown corner store

GERMANTOWN (WPVI) -- Police say a 53-year-old man is in critical condition after he was shot multiple times inside a Germantown corner store in Philadelphia.

The store was set to have surveillance cameras installed Thursday.

It happened around 8:30 p.m. Wednesday inside the Prieta grocery store in the 1200 block of East Stafford Street.

Employees say the victim was shot 8 times right before closing.

Action News spoke to an employee whose grandmother owns the store.

She asked that we not identify her.

The employee says only her grandmother holding her 2-year-old cousin and the victim, a deli clerk, were in the store when the gunman wearing a white hooded sweatshirt and ski mask stormed in.

"The guy with the gun came in the front. He saw my grandmother had the little child with her, so I guess he didn't want to do anything in front of the child," the employee said.

Her grandmother told her that's when the robber went to the deli counter in the back of the store.

There was a struggle between the suspect and the victim.

The robber opened fire and fled with only the victim's wallet.

"We know a semiautomatic gun was used because we found spent shell casings inside the store," Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small said.

"I'm still shaking. I can't believe this. I don't want my grandmother to be here anymore. I'm scared," the employee said.

The store just recently moved locations.

On Thursday morning, a security company arrived to install the new cameras.

Employees say the victim's wife lives with him in Philadelphia, his children are in New York and Mexico.

Employees say he couldn't talk overnight, but was able to respond with a squeeze of his hand.

The suspect was last seen running west on Stafford.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Northwest Detectives with any tips.