Community Rallies Around Sand Springs Father Hospitalized After Brutal Gas Station Robbery

A father of four who owns a convenience store in Sand Springs is in the hospital after being brutally beaten this week during a robbery.

Hundreds of people in the town are now rallying around the man who they said made a personal connection with all his customers. 

A clerk at A&S Fuel near Prattville said her boss Abdul Zahid is a beloved part of the community and she's praying he'll be okay after the violent attack.

Teresa Lovejoy has worked at A&S Fuel near 51st and Highway 97 in Sand Springs for six years. She said for the past few days, hundreds of people have been asking how owner Zahid is doing after a brutal attack.

"The day after this happened, there was probably close to 600 people that walked in this door," Lovejoy said.

An affidavit said Camaran Breazeale went to the store on Wednesday and demanded money from Zahid, then punched Zahid several times until he knocked him down. It says Breazeale then beat Zahid with a shotgun in the head over and over, threatening to shoot him.

A Sand Springs officer arrested Breazeale with the money.

"I found out and it just crushes me, it broke my heart," said April Jelinek. "He did not deserve that."

Jelinek said Zahid has several broken bones in his face and lost an eye but is recovering after surgery Friday. She said she's known Zahid for 20 years and said he's a kind and thoughtful family man with four grown kids and a wife he loves.

"He's always been so kind and generous," she said. "He always prays for me."

Jelinek and Lovejoy are thankful for all the community support and hoping to see justice for Abdul, and a speedy recovery.

"He's very loved," Lovejoy said.

Breazeale was charged with Robbery in federal court and records show he's an ex-con with convictions in both Tulsa and Oklahoma counties.

To help out Zahid and his family, visit this GoFundMe here.