Shooting outside Quick Stop injures two

MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) - North Minneapolis residents along 36th and Penn Avenue North in need of milk, eggs, bread or simply a pack of smokes make their way to Quick Stop. But an overnight shooting just outside the convenience store has left the neighborhood shaken.

“Salem” the store’s owner for the past 12 years, while stern, remained rattled by the gun violence that threatened his clerk’s life Wednesday night.

“He got hit in the stomach the minute he stepped outside,” Salem told FOX 9.

47-year-old Abdelilah Bouthim, of New Hope, Minn. goes by the name “Eddie.” It was just after 6:30 p.m. when Eddie walked outside to ask the young men loitering to leave.

“The minute he opened the door there was a car that streamed along 36th and took a few shots,” said Salem.

A 27-year-old Minneapolis man was also shot. Both of the victims are expected to survive, but customers are worried.

“Everybody is feeling for Eddie. Everybody is asking about him, everybody wants him to live,” said Salem.
Members of the True North Minneapolis group, post updates about Eddie's recovery to Facebook. Family confirms he remains in the hospital in stable condition.

“He's still in the ICU unit, there was no exit wound but the bullet is lodged inside of him right now, they couldn't find it,” said Salem.

Jacqueline Smith lives down the street from the corner store. She said she felt chills when she found out who was shot. She and her eight-year-old granddaughter shop at Quick Stop every week.

“My grandbabies know him, it's sad,” said Smith. “If my grandkids are too scared to be here I don't want to be here anymore.”

“During this summer especially, there isn't a day that goes by without hearing some shots around,” said Salem.

As concerns over gun violence continues to rise, the hope is that the person responsible for shooting Eddie is caught before someone else is also hurt.

“We all need to pray for Eddie and make sure he comes through,” said Smith.

Minneapolis Police have yet to release a suspect description.

As of this week, MPD reports the number of shooting victims is up by more than 45 percent over last year.

Fox 9 reached out to the other victim, but did not receive a reply.