Atlanta store owner Demba Balde killed outside his Clayton County home

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, Aold Harris told Channel 2.

Another friend, Yulinda Dunlap, had a message for Baldes 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.