Store owner bludgeoned; suspect at large

MIAMI (WSVN) -- The family of a store clerk who was viciously beaten while on duty is pleading for help in finding the suspect responsible.

On Sunday, 44-year-old Yue Kui Cen was working at his store, Alex's Mini-Market, located at 501 NW 12 Ave when a man walked into the convenience store at around 12:15 p.m.

Miami Police released surveillance video that shows the man as he brought two gallons of milk to the front counter. As Cen began to bag the items, the suspect pulled out a spray can and doused the store owner with some unknown chemical. As the victim tried to rub his eyes, the video shows the suspect walk behind the counter with a sledgehammer and repeatedly strike the victim. Then, the suspect took two cartons of cigarettes and fled the scene.

Cen was transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital. He underwent surgery Tuesday afternoon and is showing some signs of improvement, but he still remains unconscious.

Cen's family issued a plea Monday afternoon for help in finding the suspect responsible for brutally beating their loved one. "I have two kids, 11 and 7, and he came in, and he sprayed my husband's eyes, and then, he had a hammer and beat him in the head several times," said the victim's wife, Phoung Cen. "He looked like he wanted to get his life. It's not a robbery. I don't know what happened. It's crazy. I need the public's help to find this guy."

According to police, the crook never attempted to steal money from the cash register. Authorities believe the violent suspect intended to hurt the victim. Miami Police Detective Fernando Bosch said, "You see a person like this victim, [he] was a family man. It's just sad, and it makes you want to go out there and split yourself in ten pieces and try to find this guy as soon as possible, because this guy needs to be behind bars."

Cen and his wife have been running their business for the past six years. "He's a very good man," Phoung Cen said of her husband. "In the neighborhood, everybody knows us. They love us."

The suspect is described as a white man in his 50s or 60s. He reportedly stands at around 5 feet 8 inches and is about 170 pounds. The suspect was last seen wearing a light-colored cap, a buttoned-down shirt, a gray hooded sweater and black pants.

If you have any information on the suspect's whereabouts, call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward.

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