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Brother, Best Friend Of Skating Rink Owner Killed During Robbery Share Their Grief

GRAND TERRACE (CBSLA)  -- The brother and best friend of a beloved store owner shared their grief over the loss of 43-year-old Ryan Harsany with KCAL9 Sunday evening.

Harsany, police believe, was killed during a robbery. The skating rink he owns in Grand Terrace was set ablaze after Harsany was shot multiple times. Firefighters putting out the blaze early Saturday morning discovered the body.

Facebook messages thanking Brawley resident Harsany for changing people's lives, his generosity and kindness flooded his wall.

For the first time his brother, Brian, and best friend -- Eric Dominguez -- open up to KCAL9's Brittney Hopper about their grief and their loss.

Brian is no stranger to crime scenes. He's a police officer. But this tragedy, of course, hit close to home. Brian is also Ryan's identical twin. He poke to Hopper by phone.

Dominguez wasn't just Harsany's best friend. He is general manager of the business. He fought back tears telling Hopper they used to roller skate here together when they were just kids. Harsany skated here for he first time in 1984.

"It's hard," Dominguez says, "I have my moments. But I know he would want me to keep going."

RELATED LINK: Firefighters Putting Out Fire Inside Grand Terrace Business, Find Owner Shot To Death

Dominguez says Harsany bought the rollerskating rink a year ago and completely renovated it wanting it to be a safe place for kids and families to enjoy.

Dominguez says Harsany -- who also owned the restaurant Inferno -- always helped anyone in need.

"He was the type of person if you asked him for anything if he knew you, if he didn't know you, he would give you anything," Dominguez says.

And that's why family and friends don't understand why this would happen. The gruesomeness of the crime added more pain.

Police say Harsany was shot a couple of times then they believe he was lit on fire after a robbery at the business after hours.

Ryan Harsany
(credit: Ryan Harsany/Facebook)

"He didn't deserve that. He didn't deserve that at all. And I know that if anybody has any information, that if they knew who he was, they would be more than willing to corporate," said Brian.

Surveillance cameras are everywhere around the building but police won't go into detail regarding their investigation.

Family and friends are planning a vigil for Monday evening and hundreds are expected to turn out.

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