Clerk Shoots at ATM Robbers, Then Loses His Job Anyway

A late-night attempt to rip an ATM out of an Ohio gas station ended when a clerk opened fire on robbers rushing the store, and American Rifleman's latest "Armed Citizen" roundup pairs that case with a 1987 archive incident from a Milwaukee grocery store.

Snapshot

In the Nov. 2 incident in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, a clerk who heard a vehicle repeatedly ramming the storefront fired when several suspects rushed inside, prompting all of them to flee. Police caught one suspect, tying him to a known gang and two stolen minivans used in the attempt, according to American Rifleman.

Key points

• The break-in method: Suspects drove a stolen minivan into the storefront repeatedly, according to the report, trying to dislodge the ATM before entering on foot.
• The clerk's response: He fired several shots only once the group rushed toward him, telling reporters he hadn't felt endangered until that moment.
• The arrest: Police caught a 25-year-old suspect who fled on foot and linked him to a known criminal gang and two vehicles stolen out of Cleveland.
• The charges: He faces robbery, vandalism and receiving stolen property counts, per the Akron Beacon Journal as cited by American Rifleman.
• The cost to the clerk: Despite stopping the robbery, he reportedly lost his job as a result of the incident.

Quick take

The Cuyahoga Falls case is a reminder that defending a business doesn't guarantee a defender keeps that job, even when the shooting is judged justified. The 1987 archive entry, where Milwaukee grocer Jamal Masoed used a handgun to stop an attacker mid-crime-spree, shows these dynamics are nothing new. American Rifleman's compilation keeps both in view as part of an ongoing record.

Read the full story: americanrifleman.org