COLUMBUS, Georgia (WRBL) – A Columbus businessman Amit Kumar Patel was about to deposit money into the bank when he was fatally shot and robbed on his daughter’s third birthday. Friends have now set up a GoFundMe page to raise funds for the victim’s family as they mourn the loss of a father, husband, and friend.

“It’s just a sad situation when a man can wake up in the morning and tell his family, I’ll see you when I get home, I love you… go to the bank, make a deposit and get attacked with a gunshot wound. ”

Buddy Bryan, Muscogee County Medical Examiner

What was supposed to be a feast day is now marked by heartbreak.

Patel was the owner of the Chevron gas station on Buena Vista Road, only about a mile from the crime scene. He worked with partner Vinnie Patel for six years and was described by others as a “hardworking, upright citizen”. Vinnie helped set up the GoFundMe page to take the pressure off the family left behind.

Amit was the main breadwinner in his family and now his family has no steady source of income. His wife Roshni Patel is now faced with the task of being the sole care of his 3-year-old daughter, the 91-year-old disabled mother-in-law, the retired father-in-law and the disabled mother-in-law.

The GoFundMe page says the following:

“Amit was one of the most loving, calm and gentle souls we have known, and if you had the opportunity to meet him, you would know the warmth of a great man and father.”

GOFUNDME PAGE

45-year-old Patel was shot dead around 9:30 a.m. in broad daylight.

With the Christmas season, local guides encourage people to be hyper-vigilant as they enter and exit shopping malls, banks, and other business locations.

“It’s kind of backward because there is so much joy in so many different places during the holidays. But it’s also an opportunity for people who may not be doing positive things. We therefore urge people to continue to be vigilant. Make sure you look around your car very carefully before you get in and also when you get out. “

Skip Henderson, Mayor of Columbus

December 6th is a date that Patel’s little girl will never forget. The day she gets a year older also marks the day her father can no longer see her getting older. The Patel family is now asking the community for help.

The Amit Patel GoFundMe page has already raised over $ 60,000 in donations, but they are missing the mark. The organizers say every penny counts to support the grieving family.

The photos were provided by business partner and friend of the Vinnie Patel family.