Mumtaz Lalani, owner of Dellwood Market in Ferguson, Missouri, says he won't re-open after his business was looted for a third time during rioting on Nov. 24.
"I'm too old to face those kind of problems all the time. So, yeah, I'm planning to get out," Lalani said Tuesday on
Fox News Channel's "Hannity."
Lalani had earlier in the interview indicated he hadn't made up his mind on re-opening, so it was unclear whether the store might be operated by his son without his participation.
Lalani said his store has been in business for 25 years, but he now fears his once-safe neighborhood has changed. Looting began after the Aug. 9 police shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown. The white officer, Darren Wilson, did not face indictment in the shooting of the unarmed black teenager, sparking another night of riots last week.
Lalani said his store was looted on Aug. 10 and 17, causing between $50,000 and $100,000 worth of damage each time.
"It is really bad this time," he said of the latest incident.
"It is not only the dollar amount," Lalani said. "It's just the psychological effects. I don't feel safe in my own neighborhood anymore."
Lalani was particularly angered that Gov. Jay Nixon had promised to have National Guard protection last week, but failed to follow through. Many businesses were looted and some were burned.
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