Comments on: Gas station clerk killed in armed robbery

By: Black_Sheep

Black_Sheep — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 08:14:04 +0000

I'm so sorry for your loss, Komal.

By: WesternFireandSafety

WesternFireandSafety — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 03:39:02 +0000

What a shame. What a shame. May God be with him and his family. What a shame.

By: Komal Herkishnani

Komal Herkishnani — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 14:08:33 +0000

Thank you to everyone for helping the police catch the murderer. Thank you for your support and prayers for our family through this difficult time. Thanks for the media attention and everyone in the police department: the detectives, forensic team and every single person that help solve this horrifically tragic death of our loving family member. Maybe it will be some consolation for my brother, sister-in-law, her parents, friends, and the community of Ballard.

His name was Manish Melwani. He was twenty-eight year old and the youngest of three siblings. And the sole caretaker of his elderly parents especially his mother, who has heart disease, who was and still is distraught of the death of her youngest child that she required medical attention.

He was a quiet and hardworking guy who had just become a proud new uncle of twins (less than six week old)!! I rembember the last I saw him was at the party at my brothers house celebrating the twins. We were the youngest uncle and aunt there you know. He on his sister's side, me on my brother's side. We were happy for our older siblings.

I pray that his parents and my sister-in-law get through this. As I hope you all will too.

Thank You Again

By: hummingbird

hummingbird — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 04:38:41 +0000

I purposely went “further down the road” just because of how friendly he and the others (the owner always smiling too) were and how they seemed to make a point of being nice to everyone that came in (I've seen the owner smiling and joking compassionately with a homeless man that hung out in front) What the hell is wrong with people???

By: goawaynow

goawaynow — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 22:54:16 +0000

Oh shut up. Stop making news about this good man's murder about your psycho-dream BS!

By: Silver

Silver — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 19:57:26 +0000

Almost certainly.

By: (n)utcase

(n)utcase — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 19:36:45 +0000

this article describes the victim as a man in his 40's. The Seattle Times says that he was only 28. Is this confusion on the part of our first-responders?

By: db

db — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 11:45:39 +0000

Now maybe the city and Voters will listen, Ballard needs a Police station,…the North Station has way too many areas to cover. Get it together Seattle way too much crime in these patrs last year. I made a call just week to the fricken Mayors office because of very close call at a Ballard drive thru. The bums have got to go. I am really thinking about getting my CWP and hopefully will never have to use it. But if I have to I will.
My best thoughts for the Victims family may he rest in Peace and may the SOB who did the crime pay for it with many years in JAIL HELL.

By: petsfriend

petsfriend — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 11:31:37 +0000

What's it going to take for Nickels to beef up security in Ballard. It just isn't the same neighborhood as it was a few years ago. The criminals have found it and the only thing that will deter them is MUCH greater police presence.

By: anonymous

anonymous — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 11:06:04 +0000

I had a bad dream a few months ago. A person in my dream looked at me and told me “If you keep working here, you will die”. This dream was around May this year. I used to work at a convenience store but that dream spooked me and due to other circumstances I was no longer working at a convenience store when this occurred. My prayers to the family of the man who worked there. I hope this man is caught and never harms or kills anyone else again.
There is one other dream I had that has not come true. I hope it doesn't. The person in that dream was wearing black, riding a bike with some kind of a raingear poncho or black garbage bag covering a rifle. Sometimes these dreams happen just like I see them and sometimes they are symbols and mean other things.

By: NoraBell

NoraBell — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 11:04:52 +0000

Or hang him from the Bergen 'trees.' Finally a good use for them.
Convenience stores get robbed. I don't think there is anything specific that attracted him to this one.

By: SemperFinance

SemperFinance — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 09:03:22 +0000

I'm sure the customers were likely calling the police. I just can't watch someone in dire straights and wait for somebody else to do something about it.. I'm just upset that I wasn't able to help.. I saw him 3 hours before and we discussed the new coffee stand with half naked women serving coffee to perverts… I can't believe this! This couldn't have happened to a better human.. Why is it that only the good die young?

By: SemperFinance

SemperFinance — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 08:24:35 +0000

The SPD watched the video at role call this morning and saw the customers on tape… Not speculation.. He fought back after being shot too!

By: mlaun

mlaun — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 08:11:17 +0000

Manish, unless I've been mistaken for years, which is possible.

By: mlaun

mlaun — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 08:08:25 +0000

Yes, obviously. What I meant was, what might we be able to do to keep Ballard from being attractive to those criminals. Catch this guy and put his head on top of one of the art pieces on the Ballard Bridge, that would suit me fine. I'm not saying “blame society”, I just don't want any more of this in my backyard.

By: stopthebuzz

stopthebuzz — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 08:05:58 +0000

which member of SPD told you this? polive were called while the murderer was inside the store. how much time passed between the call and response for people, including the caller to stroll in and out? this is a sad, sad day and this kind of speculation is a little “sensational.”

By: Freddie

Freddie — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 07:49:57 +0000

" We need to think about what might be causing desperate people to commit more crimes in this neighborhood."

How about blaming the criminals.

Most poor, desperate people somehow manage not to be criminals.

By: jm

jm — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 07:20:50 +0000

Do you think the customers saw the victim or knew what had happened? Are they on the security video too?

By: sleestak

sleestak — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 07:12:04 +0000

the camera is already on 15th and market too busy taking photos of people running yellow lights, sorry!

By: SemperFinance

SemperFinance — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 07:08:41 +0000

My girlfriend and I go there all the time, his name was Mashish, he was an amazing human. He brought a smile to our faces every night we stopped in. We are torn to pieces over this. Ballard has officially gone to shit! I talked to a SPD officer who said customers were in and out of the store while he was dying and did nothing. A large piece of my faith in the human spirit died today with him. RIP my friend. You're in a better place tonight.

By: Name

Name — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 06:32:46 +0000

This perp obviously knew what he was doing. He was covered head to foot, sunglasses, gloves, large weapon with hands in a shooting position. I hope witnesses come forward and this guy is caught soon. Maybe he has been implicated in other robberies given his MO. I am in this area a lot and he needs to be ID'd and caught.
Prayers for the innocent victim. Ten year employee, it is tragic.

By: scotts

scotts — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 06:17:59 +0000

I saw several K-9 units out around 11 a.m. as I rode down 17th.

By: scotts

scotts — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 06:16:21 +0000

What also works well in Manchester and London: less guns.

By: NoraBell

NoraBell — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 06:12:02 +0000

Unfortunately it looks like the b*st*rd covered his face very well. But it's too horrifying to think he might not get caught.

By: mlaun

mlaun — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 05:43:45 +0000

I live a few houses from the Pit Stop, have shared meals with several of the employees who I've gotten to know over the past 2 years. I fear that this victim was one of the last of those I know well. I'm still anxious to know for sure. Regardless, it's such a needless, heartless, vicious crime. I fear that this crime will go unpunished.

I also feel like this is part of a recent increase in crime in Ballard that probably stems from drug addiction. We need to think about what might be causing desperate people to commit more crimes in this neighborhood.

By: Silver

Silver — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 05:24:13 +0000

Yeah, I do too, NoraBell. He's clearly got nothing to lose, and will continue to use lethal force.

By: ninaf

ninaf — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 05:04:08 +0000

Horribly sad and way too close to home.

By: Laurel Whitley

Laurel Whitley — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 04:34:04 +0000

I live at 65th and 24th and I saw policemen cruising around this morning. I was outside, and actually had an officer stop and ask me if I saw this man. He described him the same way Seattle medic did, as a young black male with a bandana and a bag. I think they were just trying to get the word out as fast as possible and I don't think it was intended to imply anything racial. The officer who described him to me was black as well.

By: Freddie

Freddie — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 04:26:40 +0000

Well I guess that means it was not a Norwegian…..

By: NoraBell

NoraBell — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 03:57:24 +0000

Thank you for all the links and info, Silver. Both here and in the forum. Open eyes and ears can sometimes make all the difference.
I really hope they get this guy.