Customers flock to Vegas Walgreens, honor slain clerk

A Las Vegas Walgreens was packed with customers early Saturday afternoon, one day after a store employee was shot and killed by an armed robber.

Customers described Antonio Isnit as a friendly, outgoing member of the store’s morning shift who always wore a smile on his face and treated people with respect.

“Hardworking and always reliable,” Alex Medel, a frequent Walgreens shopper, said of Isnit. “I’m sure he’s going to be missed here, and my condolences go out to his family.”

Police suspect that Isnit, whose name was not released by the coroner’s office Saturday, was killed by 25-year-old Jin Ackerman around 5 a.m. Friday at the store at 8500 W. Cheyenne Ave. near Durango Drive. Ackerman is suspected to have held Isnit and a female clerk at gunpoint in the store’s backroom before fatally shooting Isnit, according to Las Vegas police.

On Saturday, customers and fellow employees honored Isnit with a flower and candle memorial outside of the store. The store was unusually crowded, according to manager Brian Barnard and customers.

Lisa and Dennis Klostad are regulars who have been shopping at the Cheyenne Walgreens since it opened in 1997. Both Isnit acquaintances placed flowers at his memorial before doing their routine shopping inside.

“We’ve had nothing but great experiences with this store and the employees here,” Lisa Klostad said. “People are very friendly, and the place is always clean.”

“They’re part of our community, and the reason we’re here today is to show our support,” Dennis Klostad added.

Kurt Divich, a father of four, stopped by Walgreens to buy candy for his daughters before picking them up from soccer practice. Also a 17-year shopper at the store, Divich took to a knee and said a prayer in front of the memorial.

Though he has mourned for Isnit’s death, Divich said an isolated incident won’t stop him or his family from continuing to shop there.

“You can’t stop going places because of one thing,” Divich said. “This is the neighborhood’s pharmacy and market. At the end of the day you have to keep going, because otherwise the bad guys win.”

After closing for a full day after the shooting, the 24-hour Walgreens reopened at 8 a.m. Saturday. The store brought in staff from other Las Vegas Walgreens locations to deal with the high volume of customers.

Barnard and other Walgreens employees were directed not to speak with media and declined to comment on details of the shooting. Metro’s homicide unit was not available for comment.

Contact Chris Kudialis at ckudialis@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0283. Find him on Twitter: @kudialisrj

Writers Ricardo Torres and Cassandra Taloma contributed to this report.