Thursday, February 16, 2012

10TV: Former Short North "Happy Greek" Owner Murdered




The Franklin County Coroner said Wednesday that the man who was found dead in a gas station suffered multiple gunshot wounds.

A coworker found Mohamed Hassan shot to death inside the Sunoco gas station, located at 201 W. Bridge St., at about 6 a.m. Tuesday, 10TV’s Chuck Strickler reported.

Hassan, 46, died after he was shot multiple times in the back and chest, Franklin County Coroner Jan Gorniak said.

Hassan’s former attorney, Sam Weiner, said that he was shocked when he heard about Hassan’s death.

“I wouldn’t have thought he would take a job as a night clerk,” Weiner said. “He was a high-level functioning entrepreneur.”

Weiner said that Hassan was an Egyptian immigrant and a chef who received training in England, New York and Columbus.

Hassan and his wife, Gihan “Gigi” Zalat, owned an operated the Happy Greek Restaurant in the Short North. In 2006, the couple sold the restaurant and moved it to the Gateway District.

“He was just a good man and hardworking guy,” Weiner said. “He worked 10-14 hours a day. It didn’t make any difference to him, as long as the business was going.”

Two years later, Zalat was indicted and charged in a multi-million dollar mortgage fraud scheme. She was sentenced to four years in prison and was released in 2010.

“They were talking about charging him, and I was fortunate enough to deal with very reasonable people up in Delaware, and they realized he wasn’t the issue,” Weiner said.

Weiner said that he last spoke with Hassan about a year ago when his wife was released from prison, Strickler reported.

“He was in a state of flux,” Weiner said. “He told me he wanted to go back to Egypt to get his head right, that kind of thing. I feel terrible. He really was one great guy, and it’s a real shame he had to meet this end.”

Investigators were reviewing surveillance video of the slaying, which was Dublin’s first in 12 years.

The circumstances surrounding Hassan’s shooting had not yet been determined.

Police said that anyone with information should call 614-410-4847.

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