Metro Nashville Police officials have ruled the murder of a South Nashville Ethiopian market and restaurant owner as an assassination.
Gitem Demissie, age 41, was killed inside of his South Nashville restaurant, Ibex Ethiopian Restaurant, over the weekend.
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MNPD officials said surveillance video shows the shooter walked up to Demissie, who was sitting at the bar, and shot him multiple times. Those shots sent Demissie to the floor. The shooter then walked around the bar and over a witness to leave out of a side door, which was locked.
While the shooter made his way to the front door, he saw Demissie was still moving; so he went back and fired several more shots into Demissie, killing him.
Police believe the shooting was not only targeted, but a true assassination since there were no signs of a robbery or any other motive for the killing.
The shooter could also be seen in the video waiting outside of the restaurant for several minutes before going inside to shoot Demissie.
Demissie had lived in Nashville for more than ten years. He first opened Ibex Mart on Bell Road, selling Ethiopian groceries, including spices, fresh meat, and vegetables.
In January 2015, Demissie opened his second business, the restaurant and bar, where he was shot and killed early Sunday morning.
Anyone with information on this fatal shooting has been urged to contact Crime Stoppers at 615-742-7463.
