Florida smoke shop owner killed during robbery, brother sees killing on remote surveillance video
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A Florida smoke shop owner was murdered during a robbery witnessed on remote surveillance video by the victim’s brother, authorities said.
Mohammed Hamed, 23, was killed Wednesday night at the Green Galaxy Smoke Shop in Bradenton. His brother called 911 when he saw the robbery going down on his cellphone, police said.
"The reporting party called and stated that by remote video surveillance he could see two people with guns pointing them at his brother," the Manatee County Sheriff's Office said in a news release. "He stated that his brother was on the ground."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}WOMAN, 89, BEATEN, ROBBED OF $5G IN MANHATTAN APARTMENT: POLICE
Hamed was killed after being struck with a bayonet and then shot in the head, court records said. The three masked robbers forced the victim to open a small safe in the bathroom, police said.
Mugshot for Amado Zeppi, 20. (Manatee County Sheriff's Office)
Amado Zeppi, 20, was arrested Thursday and charged with firing the bullet that killed Hamed. The court papers say the weapon he was carrying was an SKS rifle equipped with a bayonet.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The weapon was recovered, according to court papers.
MINNEAPOLIS ROBBERIES ‘UNACCEPTABLE,’ POLICE CHIEF SAYS: ‘HAS TO BE CONSEQUENCES’
Surveillance image of a robber with an SKS rifle with a bayonet at the Green Galaxy Smoke Shop in Bradenton on Wednesday. (Manatee County Sheriff's Office)
Zeppi was jailed without bail.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Investigators said the other two robbers were being sought, Fox 13 Tampa reported.
"Detectives were able to get some good evidence from the scene, seeing this rifle with the bayonet on it, some other things that we collected there. Pictures from the video, we were able to establish who was involved," Randy Warren, spokesman for the Manatee County Sheriff's Office, said, according to the station.