PIERCE COUNTY, Wash. — Surveillance video shows a gunman threatening, then shooting a convenience store clerk in Pierce County's Midland area early Thursday morning. Investigators say it's that man's second robbery and shooting this week.
Audio on the surveillance captured the robber's voice as he demanded cash from a clerk at the Chevron and Extra Mile convenience store just after 5:00 a.m..
"Get the money bag, too. Get the money bag, or I'll shoot you," the masked gunman orders. "Open the other register," he demands. When the clerk appears to stall, the gunman threatens, "I'll mother******* shoot you."
Seconds later, when the gunman appears to think the clerk is resisting, he fires a single shot, hitting the clerk. Investigators say it appears to be the same man who robbed a Tacoma convenience store Wednesday, shooting and wounding a clerk there, as well. In both holdups the robber wore a dark hoodie and purple gloves and carried a handgun. In both cases, he shot and wounded the store clerk before leaving with the cash.
"It's scary. It makes me not want to ever come to this side of town," said Natalie King as she purchased gas at the store later in the day.
"I'm just afraid he's going to end up killing somebody," said customer Randy Pete. "I really think until they catch this person, they need to close these stores at night."
Amar Singh is the brother of the 22-year-old man who was shot. He came to the scene after getting a call that his brother had been taken to the hospital.
"He should be caught," said Singh. "So many times, there's a robbery here, so many times."
Sheriff's detectives released a description that matches the Tacoma suspect: a black male at least 6 feet tall, slender and wearing a black ski mask, black hooded jacket, dark blue sweats and purple gloves.
"We have somebody who is very, very callous and shot two people in two days for no reason at all," said Pierce County sheriff's spokesman Detective Ed Troyer.
Troyer said the clerk underwent surgery Thursday and is expected to recover.
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