A man died after witnesses said he was stabbed by a store clerk at Taz's Supermarket One in downtown Raleigh.
Mark Garrity, Jr., 27, died at WakeMed after being stabbed at the downtown convenience store on Thursday. Witnesses said they saw Garrity stumble outside the business before collapsing. One witness, who provided CPR, said Garrity had a stab wound to his chest and didn't have a pulse.
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Amy Garrity, the victim's mother, spoke with WRAL News about her son.
"He was funny, kind hearted, extremely generous," he said. "He was loved."
Garrity grew up in Wake Forest and went to Heritage High School. He had two younger brothers and worked alongside his father for years fixing HVAC systems and doing plumbing work. He loved spending time outdoors.
"His younger brother is autistic, and he's suffering greatly," said Garrity's father Mark.
His mother said Garrity was always good and loving to his younger brother, even offering to take care of him later in life.
"He was so good to him," she said, bursting into tears. "He wasn't perfect, but he was doing his best to find his direction in life, you know? He loved animals and was kind to everybody."
Garrity's father described his son's death as "beyond hurtful."
"Because it's senseless," he said. "He was unarmed."
Garrity's father said they don't know the full details, but witnesses from the scene described the store owner accusing Garrity of stealing. A fight broke out, according to witnesses, and the store owner stabbed Garrity multiple times.
"Was he shop-lifting?" asks his father. "We don't know. But that's where [the clerk should have] called the police. He took the law in his own hands."
"[The clerk] could have called 911," said Garrity's mother. "Mark wouldn't hurt anybody. He wasn't that person. He was not a violent person."
His emotional mother said the worst part was knowing Garrity was alone and on the street in broad daylight.
"I can't imagine," she said.
She said she wants to reach out to the man who performed CPR on her son.
"Just to hold his hand, even," she said. "To know he touched him and maybe helped him to hang on just a little bit longer. I am so grateful for him."
She said tearfully how thankful she was for the surgeons and team at WakeMed, who worked so hard to save her son's life.
"They worked on him and worked on him," she said. "The doctor said he literally had Mark's heart in his hand and sat there and performed CPR when Mark's heart stopped beating. He got it to beat again."
During the emotional interview, she added, "I can't sit with this. No. The doctor said repeatedly this was a very violent act."
"Oh, my baby..." she said. "My baby."
Taz's employee said clerk involved in stabbing was owner of the store
According to a store employee, the man involved in the stabbing was not just a clerk, but actually the owner of Taz's, named Taiseer Zarka.
WRAL News reached out to Zarka and asked for his response to the situation. He said, "I really don't feel like talking about it. This is a case that has gone. Too bad it happened, but it's gone."
Police are questioning Zarka, and the incident is still under investigation. WRAL News has reached out to RPD to ask specifically if Zarka will face charges and are waiting for a response.
Anyone who believes they may have information that might assist the investigation is asked to visit Crime Stoppers at www.p3tips.com/89 for anonymous reporting options or call 919-996-1193.