Giovanni Donancricchia Killed: Albano's, Cicero Pizzeria, Owner Fatally Shot In Apparent Robbery

The 64-year-old owner of a popular Cicero, Ill. pizzeria was fatally shot early Thursday inside the restaurant he has owned for 25 years.

Giovanni Donancricchia was with his wife Angela closing down Albano's Pizzeria, located in the 5900 block of West Roosevelt Road, when a man entered through the back door of the restaurant and put a gun to Angela's head around 12:30 a.m., NBC Chicago reports.

At that point, Donancricchia reportedly grabbed his wife and told her to run away from the restaurant. When his wife was outside, she reportedly heard the gunshots that claimed the life of her husband, according to CBS Chicago. Giovanni, Angela's husband of 42 years, was pronounced dead on the scene.

Giovanni's son Saverio Donancricchia told the Chicago Tribune he believed that the gunman emptied the cash register before leaving the scene.

"It's the worst day of my life," Saverio told ABC Chicago of the loss of his father, who came to Chicago from his native Sicily in 1968 at the age of 19 and worked long hours at the restaurant to help support his three children.

Surveillance cameras in the restaurant were operational and a police investigation is under way. No arrests have been made as of Friday morning, but police told My Suburban Life they have a "good description" of the suspect and have been collecting evidence at the scene.

"Mr. Donancricchia was a well-liked person in the community and we share with his family the grief they must be experiencing today," Cicero spokesman Ray Hanania said, according to My Suburban Life.

The restaurant, which was closed after the tragedy, was once featured on Travel Channel as well as WGN's Chicago's Best. Saverio posted on Facebook on Friday his family "will keep my father's dream alive and reopen on June 28."