Grandmother was killed for $2

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By CHRISTIAN BOONE and RHONDA COOK

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Neighbors and customers of a west Atlanta laundromat gathered in the parking lot of the business on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Tuesday night to pray for the elderly woman who was killed for $2.

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A makeshift memorial was erected for Dooran Yoo, 80, who was shot and killed early Tuesday morning at her southwest Atlanta laundromat.

Christian Boone, cboone@ajc.com A makeshift memorial was erected for Dooran Yoo, 80, who was shot and killed early Tuesday morning at her southwest Atlanta laundromat.

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“It doesn’t make any sense,” said Reginald Benton, 54, who knew the victim, Dooran Yoo. “They wouldn’t have had any money in there at that time of day.”

The diminutive 80-year-old grandmother was shot in the face and killed during an attempted robbery around 7:30 a.m. Tuesday. She had just opened the door at her family’s Adamsville laundromat for the day’s business when her killer forced his way inside.

A video surveillance camera inside the laundromat captured an image of Yoo trying fend off her attacker with a broom, but the killer was not on tape.

Kevin Cho, a relative and the family’s spokesman, said he could not grasp how anyone would feel threatened by the sweet, church-going lady who treated everyone like family.

“Is there anyone who would think she would hurt anybody?” Cho said, standing just a few yards from the circle of praying friends and customers attending the sunset vigil.

The laundromat was closed Tuesday but the ’doors were open for the evening vigil. Stuffed bears and artificial flowers were placed under the front windows of the business.

The laundromat mat will be closed for business at least until after Yoo’s service Friday morning. Yoo will be buried beside her husband, whose body was brought from South Korea two years ago so his grave will be closer to family. Yoo’s service is planned for 11 a.m. at Georgia Memorial Park Funeral and Cemetery in Marietta.

“Everyone is shocked and devastated by this,” said longtime customer Danjala Nelson, 26. “They were nice people, very respectful.”

Said another customer, Pamela Wilson, “It’s heartless.”