Group Wants to Improve Safety at Convenience Stores

KANSAS CITY, MO - A murder victim's family is working to make sure the same thing doesn't happen to someone else. Tony Singh was shot and killed in March as he worked at a 7-Eleven in South Kansas City.

Two people held up the convenience store where Singh was working on March 17. Singh turned over a bag full of money, but the gunman fired a single shot that would later kill the 35-year-old.

"He handed over the money and the guy shot him," said store owner Syefd Asif. "It was cold blooded."

School teacher Sharolynn Hancock said she was inside the store before the shooting happened. Other than the killer, she said she was the last person to see the father of two alive.

"If I could have traded places with his children, I would have so they could have one last conversation with their father," Hancock said.

That type of emotion made people come up with an idea to gather signatures to change a state law dealing with convenience store safety. If the group gathers the needed signatures, they will march to the Missouri State capitol with the Tony Singh Bill. The group said the bill would make gas stations and convenience stores a much safer place.

Convenience stores would install security glass around the cashier as well as provide a panic button. The bill also proposes the addition of a security guard and a second on-duty worker after 10 p.m. for safety.

"Four eyes watching is better than two," said Asif.

The bill proposes that no store could stay open past 10 p.m. if the criteria are not met. The group now plans to share the Tony Singh Bill with other cities across Missouri.

"Life is too precious," Hancock said. "It's too precious to waste, so something must change."

The group plans to support its effort with a 100,000 signature drive.