Friends mourn loss of Arlington store clerk, JSO searching for suspect

Friends are mourning the loss of a local store clerk in Arlington.

Martin Hower was shot and killed at the Gate Gas Station on Merrill Road during an armed robbery on Saturday.

Right now the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office is looking for the suspect.

Action News Jax reporter Courtney Cole spoke to a long-time friend who said she prays the gunman comes forward.

"It’s just too short a life. Gone. For no reason,” said LaVega Blunt.

Blunt said he had no idea last Wednesday would be the last time she’d see her friend, Martin Hower.

"He’s a great person. Every time we came to the store for coffee every morning— about 4:30 –-he put a smile on our face, greet us,” Blunt told Action News Jax.

The 55-year-old was shot during an armed robbery.

“I was praying that, you know, it wasn’t mine of them that got hurt. But then when I found out it was him, I just started crying. We was very close,” said Blunt.

Another friend told Action News Jax reporter Courtney Cole he died Saturday afternoon.

Cole spoke to one of Hower’s sisters who said told her she hopes "No one else gets hurt or worse by this person. No one deserves that.”

Blunt said she's known him for nearly 30 years. They first met when they worked together at Food Lion grocery store.

“He used to come in the store—Food Lion—we’d sit there and talk. He always said 'hey buddy how ya doing? You know I love ya, ya know?'” Blunt said.

Blunt told me he often talked about retirement and had just returned from vacation.

The suspect ran away on foot and it is unsure if he got away with anything.

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JSO is now treating this incident as a homicide.

Action News Jax reporter Courtney Cole called Gate corporate offices to see if they're planning to hire security or take any extra steps to keep their staff safe following the deadly armed robbery.

Misty Skipper, the vice president for Marketing, Communications & Government Affairs for Gate said, "They do have numerous security measures in place, but they do not discuss those publicly."

According to JSO’s Crime Mapping tool, 10 robberies and three homicides have happened within one mile of the gas station between June 20, 2018 to today (Dec. 17, 2018.)

Anyone who knows anything about this is asked to contact the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office at 904-630-0500 or email us at JSOCrimeTips@jaxsheriff.org. To remain anonymous and receive a possible reward up to $3,000 contact Crime Stoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS.

Cox Media Group