Friends remember employees shot while working at Walmart

WILMINGTON, NC (WECT) – A man is in jail after investigators say he shot and killed a Monkey Junction store worker, Mark Paz, who had confronted the man about shoplifting.

Dean Newman is behind bars as the suspected shooter, friends and family remember the victim of the tragic shooting at the Walmart in Monkey Junction, Mark Paz.

A friend of Paz says she is heartbroken. She says having him as a friend meant having him as a friend for life.

They describe him as a true gentleman and a true friend who they want to be remembered for who he was and not just as a victim of senseless gun violence.

“Everyone talks about the person who shot him. “What about the person who was shot?” said Susie Burket, one of Paz's close friends.

That's the question Burket wants to ask everyone when they hear about Saturday night's shooting at the Walmart in Monkey Junction.

“He was at work. He was at Walmart working. “You might think your workplace is a safe place, but how do we know it won’t happen again?” Burket asked.

Newman – is charged with first-degree murder.

“It’s not fair that he’s gone,” Burket said.

But Burket doesn't want people to focus on that.

“Every time someone posts the picture of this guy’s mugshot, I post Mark’s picture right underneath it,” Burket said.

That's because she wants people to know and remember Mark.

“He was a friend to everyone, no matter who you were or what you did. He was your friend. He would give you the shirt off his back if you asked.”

He was a man her husband called his best friend.

“They played golf together. Mark came over and had barbecues and Thanksgiving dinners with us, and he was just a wonderful friend to my husband.”

Burket says Mark won't experience these things again because of senseless gun violence.

Now she wants justice and the next time Newman will be in court is November 21st.

“I’ll be there with Mark’s picture in my hands for the judge to see. You know, if I have to sit in the front row at all, I sit there so they can see Mark’s face.”

Burket says she invited her husband, some of Paz's family members and other friends to speak to WECT, but they say it's too early.

A candlelight vigil for Paz will be held on Saturday, November 9th at 6 p.m. in the parking lot behind Wendy's next to Walmart.

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