TACOMA, Wash. — A 7-Eleven clerk has been shot during a robbery in Tacoma.
It happened at the store on South Tacoma Way near South 74th Street at 4:20 a.m. Wednesday, according to Tacoma police.
Police said a man walked into the store and demanded cash. At some point he shot the clerk in the leg and then walked away from the scene headed east on South 74th.
“I heard kind of a deep thud, a bump sound,” Bill Fultz told KIRO 7. “I looked in the direction of the gunshot and I saw this guy just booking it across the parking lot eastbound as hard as he could go.”
The clerk was taken to Tacoma General Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
“I could see it was a clear through shot entry and exit wound with the bullet, so I put compression on that and I used my navy belt and I used that as a turnicid,” Fultz said.
Tacoma police officer Loretta Cool said the clerk did everything right.
“There was no fight, there was complete compliance and he got shot anyway,” said Officer Loretta Cool. “It’s our concern he could just walk in and shoot somebody and kill them and take what he wants. Clearly, he was given what he was asking for and he still fired.”
Tacoma police released surveillance pictures of the suspect. He is dressed in all black clothing, wearing a hood, a mask, and purple gloves.
“He looks to be a 6’1” to 6’3” black male, so extremely thin,” said Cool.
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