RIALTO STORE OWNER STANDS GROUND

Submitted by: John Adams


Rialto Shooting


By Lolita Harper, Staff Writer
RIALTO - A spirited business owner who challenged a huge utility bill that threatened to shutter his store showed the same determination when he endured a gunshot wound to the chest and chased a robber from his store. It was 6:20 p.m. Tuesday when a clean-shaven man walked into the crowded Riverside Meat Market, pointed a gun at the owner and demanded money, police said Wednesday. Young Choi, 38, who is popular throughout the neighborhood, refused and struggled with the man for the gun. During the struggle, Choi was shot in the chest, Rialto police Sgt. Vince Licata said. Raul Garcia, a 32-year-old meat cutter employed at the market, ran to help Choi, and the robber stabbed him several times in the upper body, police said. Despite his wounds, Choi chased the robber out the back door where an older model Oldsmobile was waiting, police said. "He's a tough guy man, a tough guy,' Licata said of Choi. Two man and a woman drove off, escaping through the alley that runs behind the business on Riverside Avenue. Donna Monjaraz, who lives in a house just west of the store, said Choi was not the type to roll over and let people walk all over him. He bought the Riverside Meat Market a little more than two years ago, taking over a longtime neighborhood fixture. Choi kept the "carniceria' (meat market in Spanish) and continued to specialize in Mexican meats. Window paintings and promotional signs tout the colorful business as "Latina.' The building, a brick store with a red tiled roof and green trim, is in the heart of downtown Rialto. City officials have worked for five years to revitalize that neighborhood, encouraging business owners to make improvements on their properties. Historic signs hang along the short stretch of Riverside Avenue, inspiring an old-town feel. The business area is about two blocks from City Hall and the fire and police departments. The homes in the surrounding neighborhood are quaint and well maintained. Monjaraz said she never thought twice about sending her little grandson across the street to Choi's store to get some milk or soda for dinner. Tuesday's shooting made her think twice about the safety of the area. "I just can't believe it happened,' she said. "He was so great and always helping.' Choi was kind and helpful to customers, often forgiving small debts or letting people skate when they did not have enough money, Monjaraz said. But when people confronted him, like the man who made a derogatory comment to his wife, Choi did not back down. "He was a brave little man,' Monjaraz said. Family members and friends gathered at the store Wednesday morning but declined interviews. Choi fought a huge electric bill in February when Southern California Edison charged him $21,705 for two years of unpaid service. Edison sent the big bill after it discovered that one of Choi's two energy meters didn't fully function between November 2002 and November 2004. Utility officials said they charged Choi by averaging his daily use and applying it to the unmetered days. Choi contended that the company could not charge him for electricity it could not prove he used and was able to get his bill lowered. Police said Choi is lucky that the stance he took with the robber did not land him in worse condition. He was in critical condition Wednesday at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton. Garcia was reported in stable condition. Both were expected to live. Licata said store surveillance cameras will help catch those responsible for the shooting, stabbing and robbery. The shooter was described as about 30 years old, standing between 5 feet 2 inches and 5 feet 5 inches tall and wearing a black hooded sweat shirt, black pants and a black "LA' baseball cap. The driver was a man between the ages of 20 and 30, with light skin and an acne-scarred face, who was wearing a black hooded sweat shirt. The passenger was a heavy-set woman about 30 years old with acne and blond hair with dark roots. Police were also looking for a late model Oldsmobile, four-door sedan with a white body and light or brown top. Anyone with information is asked to call police Detective Kurt Kitterle at (909) 820-2550.
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Updated: Monday,November 6,2003
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