Do you feel lucky, punk?
Armed customer thwarts grocery robbery
Indy Star
A 51-year-old man stopped a masked man from robbing a Southside grocery store and held him at gunpoint until police arrived.
Charlie Merrell was in checkout line at Bucks IGA Supermarket, 3015 S. Meridian St., when a masked man jumped a nearby counter and held a gun on a store employee at 5:17 p.m. Monday, according to a police report made public today.
While the suspect was demanding cash from the workers, the police report states that Merrell pulled his own handgun, pointed it at the robber and ordered him to put down his weapon.
When the suspect hesitated, Merrell racked the slide on his gun to load a round in the chamber, Officer Jason Bockting wrote in the report.
The suspect placed his gun and a bag of cash on the counter, dropping some of the money, police said. The suspect removed his mask and lay on the floor. Merrell held the suspect at gunpoint until officers arrived and took him away in handcuffs.
Merrell had a valid permit to carry the handgun, police said. Police recovered an unloaded .380-caliber handgun from the suspect and $779 in cash, according to the report.
Dwain Smith, 19, was arrested on initial charges of robbery, criminal confinement, pointing a firearm, battery and carrying a handgun without a license. Smith remained held this morning in the Marion County Jail with bond set at $30,000, records show.
indystar.com
MORE: Customer pulls gun, stops robbery
Updated: Jan 2, 2008 12:55 AM
Police: bystander stops robbery
HEADLINES
Baby left in cold car; parents arrested
Fire chief spots east side fire from CCB
Outgoing Anderson mayor refuses to give up title
Ballard administration irons out glitches
Ballards celebrate 25th anniversary
Deadline approaching for 500 Festival Princess program
National Guard troops prepare to say goodbye
Newspaper finds some property owners improperly avoided taxes
Van with college students crashes on toll road, killing 2
IPS invites applications for vacant board seat
Richard Essex/Eyewitness News
Indianapolis - It was a busy night Monday at Buck's IGA on the 3000 block of South Meridian Street. "Charlie," who didn't want his image or name used with this story, was in line to check out.
A man police later identified as Dwain Smith reportedly ran into the store wearing a ski mask and yelling.
Cashier Dianna Brooks repeated what she says she heard. "I heard the guy say 'give me all your money' and the next thing I heard was stacy saying 'somebody help me.'"
Charlie says he responded immediately. "When I heard it I automatically took mine (gun) out." And Charlie says he was ready to act. "If he had raised it (gun) up yes I would have shot him."
According to police reports, Smith jumped over the counter demanding the cash. Charlie pulled his gun and started for the commotion.
"He was turning against the other woman. He didn't actually see me coming up at first and then when he did, he turned around and I yelled at him to put down his weapon," Charile explained.
"(The) next thing I know is Charlie is jumping over the, uh, courtesy booth into the courtesy booth," said Brooks.
Charlie says was face to face with the suspect. "He just stare and looked at me for a minute. I cocked it back and then, all of a sudden, he laid it down on the counter and put all the money down."
The suspect gave up the money and his gun and took off his mask. The people who work at Buck's say the suspect has been casing the place for days.
When police arrived, Charlie had the suspect on the floor. "(I) just held him until the police got there. (I) put my foot in his back and the gun to his head."
Dwain Smith is now in the Marion County Jail facing several charges.
wthr.com |
