Lewisville store clerk killed during robbery

LEWISVILLE, Texas - Armed robbers shot and killed a convenience store clerk in Lewisville early Friday morning.

The fatal shooting happened at the Valero Station in the 300 block of Corporate Drive around 12:30 a.m.

The store's manager said two men came into the store and demanded money. The clerk, 51-year-old Ashraf Lakhani, gave them cash from the register, but they still shot her.

Police said a customer interrupted the robbery. The customer saw the two men running away and found Lakhani lying on the floor. She was rushed to the hospital, but she did not survive. Her manager said she leaves behind two grown children. She had just gotten married two weeks ago.

“She has kids. I don’t even know the woman, and I’m getting emotional because that’s sad,” said Rodney Kemper, a regular customer. “How can you come to a place every day, see a woman, and she’s taken away.”

Police say surveillance video of the murder is very graphic. They released this image of one suspect wearing a blue zipper jacket with white stripes.

“It briefly shows the two suspects coming in,” explained Lewisville Police Capt. Dan Rochelle. “The suspect wearing the blue zippered jacket immediately shoots her, and she falls to the ground. Then, he takes the money and they both run out of the store.”

Police say the other robber was wearing a black leather coat, dark pants and black and white shoes. The store manager says the two only got away with a little over $200.

“Money’s not everything,” said store manager Abedin Mawani. “A life. It’s very sad.”

Lakhani's manager said she and the other Valero employees were on high alert because of another unsolved case from November that happened at the liquor store next door. However, police don't believe the two cases are related.

Police say they are still following leads on the liquor store murder and have search warrants and subpoenas for the case.

Lakhani attended a nearby mosque. A spokeswoman says volunteers are working with the family to provide support and help plan her funeral.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Lewisville Police Department's tip line at 972-219-TIPS or submit an anonymous tip through the department's TIPLPD app.