Las Vegas NowStore Clerk Shoots and Kills Robbery Suspect

Store Clerk Shoots and Kills Robbery Suspect

Some valley store owners say they are tired of being victimized and now they're fighting back.  For the third time in a month, a store clerk shot an armed robber.  The suspect in this recent case was killed.

An employee shot and injured an armed intruder at a smoke shop near Washington and Lamb last month.  Two weeks later, the owners of a jewelry store at Charleston and Mohave wrestled the gun away from a would-be robber and shot and killed him during the scuffle.  

On Sunday morning, North Las Vegas Police say a convenience store clerk threatened at gunpoint pulled out his own gun and shot the armed suspect killing him.

"This has been more common here recently that our store owners are not laying down to be victims, they're taking steps to protect themselves and other patrons in the store," said Sean Walker, North Las Vegas Police Department.

Restaurant manager Mina Reyes says her sandwich shop on South Rainbow has been hit twice by armed masked gunman despite the store's obvious security surveillance system.

"I don't feel safe here, especially at night because it is so dark in this area," said Reyes.  

She says she's had one employee quit after being held up and says its difficult to hire people once they hear the restaurant has been robbed twice. Police understand how tempting it is for shop owners and managers to arm themselves but they have serious reservations about it.

"Defending yourself with a weapon is not for everyone. If you choose to do it, we advise you to take a weapons course, practice, and remember, you have to be willing to use it,"Walker said.

Police say as a general rule, the safer option is to give an armed assailant what they want because nothing is more valuable than your life.

North Las Vegas Police say, at this point, no charges will be filed against the store clerk in Sunday's shooting. Investigators say it appears the clerk feared for his life and was acting in self defense when he shot and killed the armed suspect.