A 50-year-old Clayton County man was shot to death Tuesday night as he was unloading groceries, police said Wednesday.

Demba Balde, of Riverdale, was unloading groceries from his car parked on Roxbury Drive when approached by at least one suspect, Officer Danielle White with Clayton County police said. Balde attempted to flee but was shot and killed, White said.

Address records show Balde lived on Roxbury Drive, off Upper Riverdale Road.

Balde owned the Metropolitan Food Mart, convenience store on Metropolitan Parkway in southwest Atlanta, Channel 2 Action News reported. Wednesday night, friends and customers gathered at the store for a candlelight vigil to remember Balde.

“He was the type of person, he would give you the shirt off his back or whatever, if you needed anything, he always tried to uplift,” Arnold Harris told Channel 2.

Another friend, Yulinda Dunlap, had a message for Balde’s killer: “Not only did you take him, you took from this community. You took from this community and it was senseless.”

White declined to release additional information regarding the shooting, citing the ongoing investigation. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call investigators at 770-477-3648 or 770-477-3605.

— Please return for updates.

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In this file photo from October 2024, Atlanta Braves outfielder Jorge Soler and teammates react after losing to the San Diego Padres 5-4 in San Diego. The Braves and Soler, who now plays for the Los Angeles Angels, face a lawsuit by a fan injured at a 2021 World Series game at Truist Park in Atlanta. (Jason Getz/AJC)

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