Riverside police have confirmed that the suspect wanted in several shootings at 7-Elevens across SoCal on July 11 is the same one involved in their shooting investigation. A father of three was shot in the head at a Riverside 7-Eleven, and his daughter said he's a strong man.
Kaya Harrel said her father, Jason Harrel, most likely went into the convenience store on La Sierra Avenue at the corner of Norwood Avenue because it’s near his girlfriend's house.
She also believes he may have been trying to help the clerk who was being robbed.
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"My dad is a fighter so if anyone is going to make it through I have full faith that it would be my dad," she said.
Kaya calls her father a miracle man.
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The 46-year-old is fighting for his life after being shot in the head during a robbery.
"That was definitely the worst day of my entire life. I wouldn't want anyone to ever have to see their dad like that," Kaya said.
Jason was a regular customer who Kaya believes may have gone in to buy cigarettes at around 1:50 a.m. Monday as the robbery was happening.
She and other family members including her 20-year-old brother and 8-year-old sister have been praying he somehow pulls through.
"I just can't think that I won't be able to talk to him again. It makes me sick," she said. "I'm sitting here thinking one day he supposed to walk me down the aisle, or like be a grandpa. If he doesn't make it he'll never get to experience my children."
Kaya says her father has an incredible sense of humor, and is always the life of the party.
She also says he cares deeply about others, and although she doesn't know exactly why her father was shot, she believes he may have been trying to help the clerk.
"If he walked into this type of situation and he saw that someone was at gunpoint or something was happening, my dad would try and stop it. He would try to get in the middle of it or ask what's going on," she said.
Riverside police investigators say the man who allegedly shot Jason appears to be the same one who was accused robbed several other 7-Elevens, including ones in Brea and Santa Ana where two people were shot and killed early Monday morning.
As Kaya continues to hope her father survives, she also has a powerful message for the shooter.
"You don't get to just go around killing people thinking that's OK. This is not a video game, it's sick," she said.
Kaya says her father has been able to squeeze her hand.
She's hoping it's a sign that he might be able to recover from his injury.
Upland police say the man captured on a surveillance photo robbed a 7-Eleven at around 12:35 a.m. at the corner of West Arrow Route and Monte Vista. No one was hurt. The Upland robbery suspect appears to be the same person Brea police are also looking for.
