A Philadelphia dollar store manager used his gun to thwart an attempted robbery Thursday night after a suspect barged into the store and demanded that a cashier empty her register.
What happened?
The incident took place at around 8:30 p.m. when an unidentified 36-year-old male suspect walked into the 9th Street and Girard Avenue Dollar General store announcing an armed robbery and ordering a cash register to be opened, WPVI-TV reported.
At that point, the cashier under threat alerted the manager to come and assist. The manager, a 45-year-old male who has not been otherwise identified in local reports, reportedly tried to talk to the suspect and reason with him against further escalating the situation. But his attempts at de-escalation failed.
"The manager came over, attempted to talk to him. The suspect then said again, 'I have a gun, give me all your money,'" Philadelphia Police Inspector D.F. Pace told reporters.
Police said the suspect then brandished a makeshift weapon that appeared to be a handgun wrapped in plastic. That's when the manager, who is licensed to carry a firearm, responded with force. He allegedly shot the suspect twice, striking him at least once in the head. When emergency responders arrived, they tried to resuscitate the suspect. But he died on the scene.
Philly Dollar General Store Manager Shoots and Kills Would-Be Robberwww.youtube.com
What else?
WCAU-TV later reported that the suspect had not been armed with a gun, despite his repeated claims. Rather, he was carrying a toy gun that he had wrapped in plastic to make it look like a real gun when he attempted to hold up the store.
Police said the store manager acted quickly to put down the threat. He is not expected to face any charges.
Inspector Pace said the incident should serve as a reminder for residents to be "vigilant at all times" and "be careful and aware of our surroundings."
The incident may also serve as a warning to criminals against brandishing makeshift weapons of any kind that only appear to be real firearms.
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