James Suh, owner of Car Care Auto Spa in Chicago's Portage Park neighborhood, was on a conference call for his daughter’s school around closing time earlier this month when a masked man walked into his store, pointed a gun at him, and demanded money from the register, WMAQ-TV reported.
Image source: WMAQ-TV video screenshot
“It was just so sudden and alarming, no preparations,” Suh told the station regarding the Oct. 10 incident. “I didn’t even see him walking in; all of a sudden he’s just there in front of me.” He added to WMAQ that "my mind was in complete shock."
Image source: WMAQ-TV video screenshot
Suh told the robber he couldn’t open the register, the station said.
What happened next?
The crook is seen on surveillance video having issues with his gun — and WMAQ said that was the moment the married father of two saw his chance to fight back.
Suh, in a sudden flash, went for the perp's gun.
“Your mind is just firing on all cylinders in such a short time, and I think I was mostly acting out of emotion and frustration, which is not a good place to make important decisions from,” he admitted to the station.
A second surveillance video shows Suh and the armed intruder struggling for the gun.
Image source: WMAQ-TV video screenshot
Fortunately, Suh successfully disarmed the suspect, who ran out of the store with no cash and no weapon, WMAQ said. Suh is seen on video walking back behind the register with the crook's gun in hand.
Image source: WMAQ-TV video screenshot
“This guy, he was clearly not a professional, he didn’t know what he was doing,” Suh told the station. “I don’t know what his circumstances are — you know, maybe he felt he was desperate, and he had no choice to go out and do this.”
Image source: WMAQ-TV video screenshot
Despite his victory over crime, Suh told WMAQ he'd handle it differently if he had to do it over again: "I think I would probably just comply and give him the money because it’s not worth it.”
Anything else?
The suspect fled northbound on Cicero Avenue and hadn't been located when the station's story ran, WMAQ said.
Suh noted to the station that Chicago police told him the gun wasn't loaded. WMAQ added that detectives are investigating the incident.
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