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Store owner remembered as kind, giving person
By Joe Gorman
YOUNGSTOWN
Abdullah Nagi Mahdi was remembered Thursday as a hard-working, kind man who would have given his shooter anything he needed.
The 29-year-old Mahdi was shot and killed at the Reema’s Fashion store in an exchange of gunfire with a robber about 4:29 p.m. Wednesday.
The initial police report Wednesday listed Mahdi’s name incorrectly.
Angel Cruz, who owns a pizza shop next to the 2608 South Ave. store, said Mahdi was a good business neighbor and an even better person.
“If that kid would’ve told Abdullah he was hungry, he would’ve come over here and got him something to eat,” said Cruz. “If that kid would’ve told Abdullah he needed a coat, Abdullah would’ve given him a coat. He was a good guy. Our hearts are broken.”
Mahdi died at St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital of a gunshot wound to the head.
Also taken to St. Elizabeth was the man accused of shooting him, 19-year-old Larry McDonald. Court records list a Madison Avenue address for him. A check of court records for McDonald shows he was sentenced in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court in March to one year’s probation on a charge of carrying a concealed weapon. He has no juvenile record in Mahoning County.
Police said McDonald came into the store in am apparent robbery attempt and was wounded in an exchange of gunfire with Mahdi. He is expected to be charged with Mahdi’s death when he is released from the hospital.
Capt. Brad Blackburn, chief of detectives, said Thursday police are double-checking to see if McDonald acted alone. He said there was not another robber in the store when the exchange of gunfire took place.
Mahdi’s death is the 17th homicide in Youngstown in 2014 and the third within a week. At this point in 2013, Youngstown had 16 homicides.
Police took a report Wednesday morning of a break-in at the store sometime overnight Tuesday.
Cruz said if there was any kind of trouble at his pizza shop, Mahdi would come over personally to check and make sure everything was OK.
Mohammed Awad, one of the officers who works the South Side afternoon beat and responded to the call, knew Mahdi well. He said Mahdi was well respected in the local Islamic community and was even picked to lead prayers at the Masjid Al-Khair mosque on the South Side, which he said is a high honor.
“He was one of those guys respected enough to lead prayer,” Awad said. “He would open the mosque in the morning.”
Awad said Mahdi came to the United States about 15 years ago and has worked hard. Mahdi is also father to seven children, Awad said.
Awad said if someone came to Mahdi’s store on South Avenue, or the one on Belmont Avenue, and needed something and couldn’t pay for it, Mahdi would still make sure they got what they needed.
“If they didn’t have all the money, he would give it to them,” Mahdi said.
Awad said answering the police call was tough. He said he could not put into words what it was like answering a call like that for someone that he knows personally.
Al Adi, owner of the Downtown Circle deli, called the killing senseless. He knew Mahdi, who had an engineering degree from Youngstown State University.
“The loss is tremendous,” Adi said. “He was a very community-oriented guy. It’s such a waste.”
Adi said store owners are always wary of trouble, especially now with the Christmas season coming up.
Cruz said he hopes the robbery doesn’t tarnish the image of the neighborhood. He said he has owned the pizza shop for 15 years and has had just a handful of problems. He said the people in the neighborhood are good and just a small minority are responsible for the trouble there.
“The majority of people here — they’re just like family,” Cruz said.
Cruz also gave credit to the police. He said some of the windows in his shop were broken recently. He said police check frequently and they do not just drive through the parking lot; they get out of their cruisers, walk inside and personally check on him.
Awad said Mahdi is a person who truly will be missed.
“No matter what religion you are, the guy just had a good heart,” Awad said.