'He's lucky to be alive': Business owner shot by masked robbers in Surrey

Video has surfaced that appears to show a terrifying attempted robbery unfolding at a Surrey jewelry store where the owner was reportedly shot four times over the weekend.

In the video, yelling can be heard outside the store followed by gunshots after a chaotic confrontation erupted at the business on near 101 Avenue and 152 Street Sunday.

Store manager Mazhar Qawasmeh says that the business owner remains in hospital with multiple gunshot wounds.

“He’s lucky to be alive. I mean to be shot from zero distance four times, that’s a miracle,” he said.

“It’s horrible. It shouldn’t happen.”

Qawasmeh was not working at the time but says he has since learned what unfolded.

The violence began just before closing on Sunday, he said, explaining that a woman who was leaving the normally locked store held the door open.

“And at that moment, five guys with two guns, they came in the store and tried to threaten everyone,” he told CTV News.

He said when the owner then tried to stop the masked intruders, a fight broke out. He said the owner was shot in the leg twice inside the store and twice outside.

A female employee was also assaulted, he said.

“(the thieves) obviously were panicking. They couldn’t get away with anything,” the manager said.

Qawasmeh said when the thieves tried to leave, they couldn’t get out of the locked door and smashed through a window to escape. He said the owner then followed them outside.

“He probably wasn’t aware of the fact he was shot… At this point, sometimes your adrenaline would be at the highest,” Qawasmeh said.

“They shot him again. It’s just insane,” he said.

Surrey RCMP Cpl. Sarbjit Sangha said when officers arrived, they found a victim suffering from gunshot wounds.

“One victim was taken to hospital. He remains in hospital. He has non life-threatening injuries,” she said.

The manager said the owner has already undergone surgery and will require another as he recovers from the shooting. Meanwhile, Qawasmeh said police have seized video surveillance from inside the store.

Mounties told CTV News that, so far, no arrests have been made.

“The types of events are well organized by the suspects. They have obviously done their work up on this particular store,” Sangha told CTV News.

“When you have masked men with guns come into your business to attack you, it is a very scary situation. Not just for the people who are in the store but the public who might be in this area.”

Police are asking anyone with dashcam or other video connected to the incident to contact them.

Qawasmeh said the store will be improving its security measures and that he hopes the thieves can be found and brought to justice.