Killed in cold blood in the land of opportunity

AMMAN — After being jobless for around five years, Wesam Sammour and Ammar Shatnawi travelled to the US a few years ago seeking a better life, and hoping to earn enough money to get married and build families.

The two, who worked in Jordan’s Fish and Chicken restaurant in Indianapolis in the US, were fatally shot on Tuesday while at work by two individuals who are still at large.

"The two studied marketing and business at a private university. They looked for a decent job but never found one. They were frustrated here. All they wanted is to earn some money to get married and have a decent living," Jamal Bteiha, who introduced himself as a close friend of the two, told The Jordan Times Thursday.

Ammar travelled to the US first. He worked at the restaurant, which is owned by Yousef Sammour, Wesam's brother.

Shatnawi and Sammour hailed from the village of Huwwara in Irbid, 90km to the north of Amman.

"Ammar was the first to go to the US and work at the restaurant. Wesam wanted to stay here. He found a job in Amman, but it was very difficult to shuttle between his house in Irbid and Amman every day. He rented a flat but it was not feasible," Bteiha said.

Then, Wesam decided to work with his brother in the US.

"It was not easy. It took him some effort to get the visa, but he eventually got it and joined his brother… I was in touch with Wesam and Ammar, who is Wesam's cousin, all the time… They were very happy and satisfied to live and work in the US. They kept telling me that there, they were at least making some money and were close to fulfilling some of their dreams. May their souls rest in peace," the friend said.

Ali Mojahed, a friend of Ammar who lived with him in a flat in Jabal Al Hussein in Amman, said he was shattered by the news. “Ammar was always cheerful, and always optimistic about his future in the US."

“He lived with me in the flat for around two years and he was a very kind, polite and hard working person,” Mojahed said.

“When he had the chance to go to the US, he thought that would be the solution to all his problems,” he told The Jordan Times over the phone on Thursday.

Another friend of Wesam and Ammar, who preferred to remain unnamed, said: “The two were decent men. They were generous and kind. We want the killers arrested and brought to justice.”

Their family wants their bodies to be flown to Jordan as soon as possible for burial, added the friend, who knew them since high school.

“We cannot believe they were killed in this ridiculous way. What wrong did they do?” he said.

Officers were dispatched to the restaurant in the 9100 block of E 21st Street on reports of a person being shot just after 1am on Wednesday. The call came from a relative of one of the victims. The relative drove to the restaurant after becoming concerned that no one was answering repeated telephone calls, police said, according to Fox59 website.

Responding officers located two males, both in their mid-30s, suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. Emergency personnel pronounced the victims dead at the scene. 

“We have two individuals that are willing to take the lives of two seemingly innocent family members trying to work hard and make an honest living at a nice establishment on the east side,” said Indianapolis Police Captain Richard Riddle during a press conference on Wednesday, the news website reported.

The owner of Jordan’s Fish and Chicken released the surveillance video from inside the restaurant.

The video showed two armed men walking into the restaurant with handguns and then jumping over the counter. The suspects killed Sammour and Shatnawi in the back of the restaurant before jumping back over the counter and fleeing the scene.

One of the suspects was wearing a red coat, and the other was wearing a blue one.

Police believe they are in their mid-20s to early 30s, and that their motive was robbery, according to Fox59.