Mark Anthony Stroman shot and killed two convenience store workers in 2001.
Rais Bhuiyan of East Dallas is suing state officials, including Gov. Rick Perry, in an attempt to stop the execution of a man who shot him in the face during a hate-fueled rampage against foreign-born convenience store workers in the weeks after the 9/11 attacks. Pegasus News has the story from the Texas Tribune.
The killer, Mark Anthony Stroman, was convicted of capital murder and sent to death row for killing another convenience-store worker. He shot and killed Vasudev Patel in a Mesquite convenience store on Oct. 4, 2001. After his arrest in that case, he confessed to also killing Waqar Hasan on Sept. 15 of that year in Pleasant Grove. His execution date is July 20.
Stroman claims his half sister was killed in terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. And he told police he shot the men, including Bhuiyan, in retaliation for the 9/11 attacks.
Bhuiyan was 27 years old on Sept. 21, 2001, when Stroman shot him in the head and left him for dead. Now Bhuiyan says he believes Stroman is reformed.
“I grew mentally and spiritually over the years, and I realized hate does not bring anything but fear,” Bhuiyan says.
