DETROIT (WXYZ) — Detroit police need help tracking down four suspects connected to a Sterling Heights man's murder. It happened Saturday night outside of All Stars Beverage on West Chicago Street.
Thaair Dado, 43, was gunned down in the parking lot. Police said he was taking out the trash around 11:30 pm and noticed someone trying to steal his vehicle. As he approached, one of the suspects fired off four shots.
Police said Dado managed to retreat 10 to 15 feet, but sadly, he was struck in the back and died from his injuries.
7 Action News learned Dado worked at the liquor store for 7 years. Today, you'll find a makeshift memorial out front. Balloons are fastened to a post in his honor.
"If you guys are going to do something bad, I mean... don't kill him. Take the car. Don't kill him," said Rany Imsaiah, a longtime friend of Dado.
Imsaiah said he and Dado met as teenagers in Iraq. Both eventually fled the war-torn country and came to the United States for a better life.
“He escaped everything. He escaped death. He escaped all those bombs and stuff in Baghdad, and Ramadi, Fallujah, Samarra," he explained.
Dado came to the United States about a decade ago with his wife and their young son. Their son is now 16 years old.
Imsaiah said, "Imagine a kid goes to sleep, wakes up in the morning (and) they tell him, 'Your dad got killed.' For what?"
"I mean, the guy never did anything wrong. He never did anything bad in his life. He always work straight, goes to work, comes back. That's the only way he knows how life works," he described.
Police have Dado's vehicle. Investigators said it never left the parking lot.
Four suspects got away in a different vehicle that police are looking for.
Detroit assistant police chief Charles Fitzgerald said, "This whole incident took about two minutes."
He said the suspects looked to be 16 to 21 years old based on their physical frame and all were wearing masks. Investigators said the shooter had a blue and black jacket and 9-millimeter handgun.
Fitzgerald said, "The burgundy Hyundai is missing its front bumper. So, we are asking our community for any help they can give us identifying that vehicle. Obviously, don't approach the vehicle."
Dado's friends created a GoFundMe for his family and are hoping the public speaks up.
"I hope they get caught, man. I wish today before tomorrow," Imsaiah said.
Anyone with information is encouraged to call Detroit police or Crime Stoppers at 1800 SPEAK UP or detroitrewards.tv. There is a $1,000 reward for information that helps move the case forward.
