Armed Robber Out-Gunned, Taken Down By Store Employees

By Bob Owens

An armed robber in Cleveland has his plans ruined Friday by two convenience store employees who were not about to become victims.

Employees of a convenience store in the city’s Stockyards neighborhood thwarted an armed robbery Friday by sneaking up behind the masked gunmen, putting a gun to his back and firing warning shots into the ceiling, according to police.

The employees held Fredrick Thornton, 26, at gunpoint inside the Convenient Food Mart on Clark Avenue until police took him into custody, according to police reports and surveillance footage of the incident.

Thornton is charged with aggravated robbery. He is being held in the Cleveland City Jail on $100,000 bond after his first court appearance on Monday.

The store’s owner, Haytham Mustafa, said he’s proud of the way his employees handled a dangerous situation.

“Thank God no one was hurt,” he said. “They really handled it well. They didn’t go overboard and didn’t hurt anyone. That’s what we wanted to do– hold him and let the law deal with him.”

Thornton wore a surgical mask and latex gloves when he walked into the convenience store about 10:45 p.m. Saturday.

He pointed a handgun at the 51-year-old employee behind the register, according to police reports. He demanded …Read the Rest

Source:: Bearing Arms