LYNNWOOD, Wash. — A grassroots memorial continues to grow in honor of a murdered convenience store worker in Lynnwood.
TejPal Singh, 60, was shot at the Chevron store on Highway 99.
“He was just a really great guy, and I’m really bummed out,” said Kelly Morse, a loyal customer who had developed a rapport with Singh. “He had such a great smile. And every time you walked in, he’d say, ‘Good morning. I’m happy to see you.’”
On Sunday, Sept. 26, that “happiness” ended with absolute horror.
Just before sunrise, deputies said an unidentified man entered the store and shot Singh.
Deputies think robbery was the motive. By the time help arrived, Singh had already died.
He leaves behind a wife, three kids and legions of loyal customers.
“To me, I find it very surprising,” said customer David Din. “The couple times I’ve been here, (Singh) was really nice to me.”
Singh had worked in the convenience store business for 30 years.
The hardworking, proud immigrant was known to thrive in the mornings, and customers said he gave every single shift his all.
“He always seemed happy to see whoever came into the door. It was never, ‘Oh, I’m just going through another day at work,’” commented Morse.
Singh’s murder highlights a truly scary reality for those working in the convenience store business.
That’s because a federal report from 2012 found that nearly a quarter of all on-the-job murders involved people who worked at gas stations.
As a grassroots memorial grows outside Singh’s store, authorities are worried that the suspect could strike again.
Pictures of the shooter are the authorities’ best hope at solving this case.
Anyone with information on this case is asked to call 911 immediately.
Additionally, a GoFundMe page has been set up to help Singh’s family.