Man killed in dispute over door-holding spot at Hell's Kitchen 7-Eleven was father of three, family says

The man fatally shot during a dispute between panhandlers at a Hell's Kitchen 7-Eleven was a father of three who had only recently run into hardship, according to his grieving family.

Mark Jackson, 43, was known among locals for holding the door open for spare change at the store on Eighth Avenue at West 39th Street. Around 10:25 a.m. on Feb. 12, a quarrel over territory erupted between Jackson and another panhandler. The rival drew a gun and shot Jackson in the neck inside the shop, and Jackson died at the scene. The gunman has not been caught.

Customers told the Daily News that the spot by the door was highly sought after and that panhandlers had fought over who controlled it. One regular shopper, who asked not to be named, walked in just before the shooting. "I opened the door and stepped in and inside of two seconds I heard an argument," the customer said, recalling a shouted insult, then a bang, after which the customer turned and left.

Jackson's 44-year-old brother said Jackson had been homeless on and off for only about a year. After he and his girlfriend separated, he left their Bronx apartment and moved between city shelters and friends' couches. The brother suspects the breakup weighed on him. "He was trying to rebuild his life. Sometimes that in and of itself can be a struggle," he said.

Over the years Jackson worked in construction and in warehouses, and his most recent job was delivering groceries for Whole Foods. "He took a job that didn't work out, took another job that didn't work out," his brother said. "All of the sudden he finds himself by himself."

The brother said he urged Jackson to leave New York and offered him a place to stay in Pennsylvania, but Jackson, who was born and raised in the Bronx, refused. He also warned him to be careful about the people around him. The brother described Jackson as likable, silly and mischievous, and said he knew of no enemies. In his free time, Jackson liked cheering for the Knicks, working out and writing hip hop music.

Jackson is survived by two sons, a daughter, two brothers and a sister. His 24-year-old daughter called him her "hero" and "the greatest dad a girl can ask for," and said he stayed upbeat and "put on a brave face" despite his struggles. "He treated everyone with respect and he didn't deserve what happened to him. I need justice!" she said.

His brother called the gunman a coward and said the conflict never had to turn deadly. "Mark wasn't going to harm him, not in the way that he harmed my brother," he said. Noting that the suspect fled, he added, "he knows right from wrong. And he still chose to do what he did."

Police released clear surveillance footage of the suspect last week and asked the public to help identify and locate him. The brother said he is confident someone will recognize the man. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS, and all calls will be kept confidential.