# Community Shuts Down Gas Station After Owners Mistreat A Homeless Black Woman



## Southernbella. (Jul 25, 2018)

Another case of folks coming into our communities...

*'This place is locked down’: Protestors get police to arrest gas station managers videotaped*


By Ashley Jones For The St. Louis American
Jul 24, 2018 Updated 5 min ago







*On Tuesday, July 24, two St. Louis convenience store employees, later identified as Jehad Motan and Ahmed Qandeel, were seen on video kicking a black woman, Kelli Adams, who some describe as homeless, *in front of the Gas Mart at Goodfellow and Delmar.

“This is a cornerstone to the neighborhood,” said Wiley Price IV, a community activist who is running for state representative in the district. “Everybody from near and far comes to this gas station, especially since they shut down the gas station on Delmar and Skinker.”

*Nearly an hour later, members of the community gathered in protest to shut the store down, make sure that Adams received medical attention, and see that the store managers were arrested*. Their main goal was to block business for the convenience store.

*“We decided that they’re done for the day,” Price said. “They didn’t need to make any more money in our community. I come up here all the time. I have been coming up here for years.”*

State Representative Bruce Franks Jr. (D-St. Louis), also an activist, contacted Price, and the two summoned other activists and neighborhood members to the area.

*“We saw a video where a young lady got kicked by the store owner,” Franks said. “The man walked away, walked back up, and kicked her. That ain’t happening, so folks are talking about taking their community back.”*

Six police vehicles arrived at the scene, though an ambulance did not arrive to attend to Adams until 30 minutes after the incident.* It took the community coming together in protest and blocking the store’s entrance for police officers to finally take action and arrest the suspects in the video.*

*The Circuit Attorney's Office has since issued arrest warrants for one count of Assault 4th Degree, against Jehad Motan, 32, and Ahmed Qandeel, 19.*

“If we wouldn’t have come here, the police wouldn’t have shown up,” said Rev. Darryl Gray, a protest organizer. “The police are here to protect and serve, but it is pretty clear who they choose to protect. *In this community we are policing ourselves, and we shouldn’t have to put ourselves on the line like that.”*

*The protest successfully shut down the facility’s business by protestors blocking gas pumps with their cars and standing in front of the entrance.*

“*The thing about protests is there has to be attainable goals,” Price said. “This sends a clear message in our neighborhood that we don’t go for this.”*

After the suspects were arrested and Adams was safely taken away in an ambulance, protestors continued to gather blocking the entrance and gas pumps chanting the words “locked down.”

“*You can’t kick no black woman and feel comfortable,” said Brother Anthony Shaheed, a veteran protestor. “This place is locked down.”*

Shemika Russell, who videotaped the assault, said she is a longtime customer at the Gas Mart, and so is Adams, though Adams also panhandles outside the store. That day, Adams had asked her friend to buy lottery tickets for her because the owners refused to let her in the store. The store attendants wouldn't let her friend purchase the tickets, so Adams became "irritated," Russell said. 

That's when the owners came after her.

"I uploaded that video because I see stuff that happens as far as violence on a regular basis," Russell said. "I never caught something like that on camera. I posted it just to let people in the area know. Once it happened and it's not on camera, no one's going to believe her because of how she looks or what she does.”
‘This place is locked down’: Protestors get police to arrest gas station managers videotaped kicking woman


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## HappilyLiberal (Jul 25, 2018)

Southernbella. said:


> Another case of folks coming into our communities...
> 
> *'This place is locked down’: Protestors get police to arrest gas station managers videotaped*
> 
> ...



Now they need to permanently shut them down until they are forced to sell.


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## Theresamonet (Jul 25, 2018)

I hope someone black can step in and open a gas station in that area since it sounds like this is the only one for miles around. Perfect opportunity.


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## Theresamonet (Jul 25, 2018)

I’m glad the community came to that woman’s aid even though she is homeless. That is rare to see, unfortunately.


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## Brwnbeauti (Jul 25, 2018)

Their effectiveness makes me very happy. Let’s hope they shut it down permanently.


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## Rocky91 (Jul 25, 2018)

Southernbella. said:


> “*You can’t kick no black woman and feel comfortable,” said Brother Anthony Shaheed, a veteran protestor. “This place is locked down. *


LOVE this quote 

They need to keep the momentum going, find and remove any other exploitative institutions in the community.


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## Godsdaughter001 (Jul 25, 2018)

I love that the community got together and stood their ground. This is good to see and I hope that this will start a trend with us so that people will think TWICE before attempting to mistreat black people. We will SHUT YOU DOWN.  Try us if you want to.


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## RossBoss (Jul 26, 2018)

This is a common occurrence with these Middle Easterns that the community allows to thrive in their neighborhoods. I don't patronize them so I don't understand why other Black people do. Back in the day I used to be shouted down by the POC coalition on the forums that I used to post on because  I had the audacity to suggest that Black people do not support brown racists just because they're brown but I notice that these days people online are more open to the idea but it has not translated into real action because many of them make their living off the Black community.


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## naturalgyrl5199 (Jul 26, 2018)

RossBoss said:


> This is a common occurrence with these Middle Easterns that the community allows to thrive in their neighborhoods. I don't patronize them so I don't understand why other Black people do. Back in the day I used to be shouted down by the POC coalition on the forums that I used to post on because  I had the audacity to suggest that Black people do not support brown racists just because they're brown but I notice that these days people online are more open to the idea but it has not translated into real action because many of them make their living off the Black community.


it takes a while for people to wake up. Thanks for keeping it real.


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## LivingInPeace (Jul 26, 2018)

Shut em down!


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## intellectualuva (Jul 26, 2018)

Glad they came to her aid and may this momentum spread far and wide. They come into the communities, take the money out, harass the women, are suggestive to young black girls and are blatantly disrespectful. I hope new black owners come in and take over, but sadly what usually happens is that they pass the busines onto someone else on their family and keep it moving.


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## RossBoss (Jul 30, 2018)

naturalgyrl5199 said:


> it takes a while for people to wake up. Thanks for keeping it real.



Remember a few months ago, another MidEast man in Pittsburgh beat the woman patron while a Black man recorded it? Later on that Black man was killed, but I'm sure that the restaurant is still going strong.


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## RossBoss (Jul 30, 2018)

intellectualuva said:


> Glad they came to her aid and may this momentum spread far and wide. They come into the communities, take the money out, harass the women, are suggestive to young black girls and are blatantly disrespectful. I hope new black owners come in and take over, but sadly what usually happens is that they pass the busines onto someone else on their family and keep it moving.



Latisha Harlins was murdered in 1991 by an Asian grocery store owner and 27 long years later nothing has changed in any of the major cities. Inner city folks love their Mama San, Papa San and whatever pet name they have bestowed upon MidEast shopowners. Don't hold your breath.


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## nysister (Aug 3, 2018)

Well it's good to see that they stood up for her, hopefully they can help her out of homelessness as well. Those gas station owners should feel free to go sell to other Asians only and see how long they're in business. The nerve.


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