Bloomington restaurant owner shot, critically wounded during robbery attempt

The owner of a restaurant in Bloomington was shot and severely wounded during a robbery attempt, and no arrests have been made, authorities said.

Kevan Tran was inside Penn Lake Roast Beef at the corner of S. Penn Avenue and W. 90th Street Tuesday night when he was shot in the abdomen and hand, according to police and emergency dispatch audio. The business is also known as Kevan's Roast Beef.

Police said Wednesday that Tran, 57, was in critical but stable condition at HCMC.

"Kevan has never been away from his restaurant for a long period," said niece Jackie Quach in a posting on a GoFundMe campaign to help him with medical and other expenses. "He lives & breathes Penn Lake Roast Beef, rocking his signature black hat with his grease stained t-shirt."

Quach added that Tran worked for 25 years at Wally's Roast Beef in Bloomington before "he ventured out to pursue his dream, Penn Lake Roast Beef. It quickly became a local spot to go for lunch and dinner."

A statement from police said that Tran "was confronted by a gunman in an apparent robbery attempt."

Tran collapsed on the sidewalk in front of a neighboring business and then was taken by emergency responders to HCMC, police added.

Dispatch audio disclosed there were two suspects who came in the restaurant through the back door. The gunman was described to dispatch as a young male, probably a teenager.

Deputy Police Chief Mike Hartley declined to provide more details about the case.