Customer shoots robbery suspect holding knife to gas station worker’s neck, MO cops say
A man who police say went on a “violent crime spree” at three gas stations was shot and killed by a customer armed with a gun, Missouri police say.
It happened around 3:20 a.m. on Saturday, July 16, in St. Charles, just outside St. Louis. The St. Charles Police Department said the 26-year-old robbery suspect, who is from St. Louis, died at a local hospital after being shot by a witness.
The witness, also 26 years old, told police he was exiting a QuikTrip gas station when he saw the suspect abruptly pull into the parking lot and park in front of the door, according to police. The suspect carried a backpack into the convenience store and turned toward an area where a female clerk was standing.
“The suspect dragged the clerk toward the front counter while she was screaming,” police said. “The witness was able to observe the suspect holding a knife to the clerk’s throat.”
Police said the witness re-entered the store and confronted the suspect while armed with a 9 mm handgun.
“I have something for you,” the suspect told the witness as he came around the counter, according to police.
The witness then fired his gun several times at the suspect, who fell to the floor. The clerk and witness both called 911.
First responders took the suspect to the hospital, where he died, police said. His identity has not been publicly disclosed.
In the 25 minutes before he entered the QuikTrip, the suspect also robbed two other convenience stores, according to police.
At a Mobile On The Run location around 3 a.m., he assaulted a 43-year-old female clerk as he stole money from two cash registers, St. Charles police said. The clerk suffered non-life-threatening injuries from knife cuts to her left wrist, right hand and neck.
Police said that at a Mid-Town Phillips 66 store about 15 minutes later, officers discovered broken glass that indicated a burglary just happened. They were dispatched for shots fired at the QuikTrip as they were investigating the second robbery.
A 2013 Toyota Highlander the suspect was driving during the robberies was stolen earlier in July, according to police. Officers said they found stolen items from the Phillips 66 robbery in the vehicle.
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