S&S owners touched by outpouring of community support after fatality

CONCORD, CA (Feb. 27, 2025) – It hasn’t even been a week since two S&S Fast & Easy Market employees fought back during an attempted armed robbery, resulting in the death of the suspect, 41-year-old Lucas Ray Smith, on Feb. 21.

“The first couple of days, I mean, they were really hard,” shares business owner Gaurav “Gary” Sharma, who asks that the identity of the employees be withheld.

“For the first couple days, there was the disbelief, the shock … a little bit of a guilt factor that this had happened … but we’ve come to the point of understanding that it was either (the employees’) lives, or his life.”

Police say Smith, armed with a shotgun, forced the first employee he encountered into the back of the store demanding that he open the safe, likely unaware of a second employee behind a closed door. The employee’s attempt to disarm him resulted in a physical altercation.

The second employee walked in on the intense struggle and acted quickly, firing one fatal shot at Smith and immediately calling 911.

While the investigation is ongoing, Concord police said that the preliminary report determined the employee legally obtained the weapon fired. The incident update, posted on the department’s Facebook page, seemed to imply a clear case of self-defense, stating that “both store employees were cooperative with the investigation and voluntarily provided statements. Neither were placed under arrest.”

Community support

While the incident has been an emotional experience for Sharma, so too has the outpouring of community love and support.

“On day one, right away, so many of our customers were checking in on us, calling us to make sure we were OK. They came down here to support us, even people who we don’t know. All the comments online, people saying ‘Oh they’re such nice people, amazing people, we love them’ … it means a lot. It means people care about us. It makes you want to become an even better person, seeing all this love.”

Sharma and his wife are first-generation immigrants from Punjab, India, who’ve called the western United States home since the late ’90s. In 2020, the couple purchased S&S Fast & Easy Market and immediately set out to make positive changes to the high-traffic corner store.

“We wanted to make it family-friendly. It’s not just a liquor store, it’s a convenience store,” Sharma notes. “We want everyone to feel comfortable here – not just adults, but kids. We wanted to create the kind of environment where people don’t think twice about sending their young kids in if they want to buy a soda or candy from us.”

Part of the neighborhood

After a much-needed facelift, additional exterior lighting and the store’s state-of-the-art surveillance system, Sharma has done everything he can think of to make S&S Fast & Easy Market a safe and secure corner store.

“At this point, I can’t think of anything else outside of hiring a private security guard. If anyone else has any recommendations, I’m open to it.”

Now in their fifth year of ownership, the Sharmas have established themselves as a part of the neighborhood. They seem to be on a first-name basis with most of the store’s regular customers – and even some of their pets.

“That’s Max; he’s a good boy” Sharma says as a regular enters the store with her visibly excited shepherd. “He’s always happy when he’s here because he knows he’s going to get a treat.”

With patrons watching and smiling as the store owners pause everything to get Max a treat, a momentary sense of normalcy returns to this neighborhood corner store.

As the investigation appears to be winding down ahead of the case going to the Contra Costa County District Attorney, many residents continue to vocalize their support in person and online.

“When we hear some of these comments, things like ‘We’ve got your back; we’re with you; whatever you need,’ they’re not your customers anymore, they’re your family,” Sharma says. “I mean, only family members would say stuff like that. It has definitely touched our hearts.”

Read more stories by Dave Hughes.