A shopkeeper who sheltered protesters was shot dead by security forces in the southern Iranian city of Shiraz during nationwide demonstrations, people familiar with the matter told Iran International in messages received on Wednesday. Local sources said Gholamreza Zareh, the owner of the Linda flower shop on Qadamgah Street in Shiraz, was killed on the evening of Jan. 8 after giving refuge to several protesters. They said that when Zareh later opened his door to check whether the security crackdown had ended security forces immediately shot him in the neck, killing him instantly. The fate of the fleeing protestors remained unclear.