New Orleans Vape Shop Owner Charged In The Fatal Shooting Of Man Who Threatened His Business

KEY POINTS

The incident took place in the Canal Street area
Anthony Francois allegedly continued to threaten the business after being banned from the store last week
Khutbi Abdelkader, the co-owner of the business, was facing a second-degree murder charge for fatally shooting Francois

A New Orleans vape shop owner was charged for fatally shooting a man who he said continued to threaten his business after being banned from the store last week.

Khutbi Abdelkader, the co-owner of the shop, Smoke Sum, at 926 Canal Street, was charged Thursday with second-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of Anthony Francois, NOLA.com reported. Francois was reportedly banned from the store last week.

The shooting took place Wednesday afternoon when Francois allegedly showed up at the store and started banging the glass. When Abdelkader stepped outside to confront him, Francois slid his hand into his pocket and tried to reach for something, which prompted Abdelkader to draw a gun and shot him twice several storefronts away.

First responders rushed Francois to a hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

A man who was accompanying Francois said Abdelkader falsely accused the deceased of threatening the business. The witness told investigators that they were walking past the business to buy food from a neighboring shop when Abdelkader stepped out and confronted them. Surveillance from a passing city bus validated the witness’ account.

Police said in their report that neither Francois nor the witness was in possession of any firearms. What led to the banning of Francois from the store wasn’t known. Abdelkader is likely to be sentenced to life, if convicted.

It was also not clear if Abdelkader obtained legal representation.

In June 2020, a South Philadelphia gun shop owner fatally shot a man who tried to break into his business in the wee hours of the morning. The man told cops that while monitoring his surveillance camera, he saw three men trying to cut open the gate using bolt cutters. The group then managed to gain entry into the store by smashing the back door and breaking glass. When they reached upstairs, the 67-year-old store owner shot a man in his head and killed him. The man, who police said was in his 20s, died at the site.