WATCH: Convenience Store Clerk Pulls Machete On Knife-Wielding Suspect
By Zuri Anderson
February 13, 2024
Newly-released surveillance video caught the moment a convenience store clerk in Washington State brandished a machete against a knife-wielding suspect. The Tacoma Police Department shared the shocking footage in a Monday (February 12) Facebook post.
Officers said the incident unfolded on February 5 at a business in the 1100 block of Yakima Ave. The clip begins with a concealed man pointing a knife at the clerk, causing somebody near the counter to move away from the scene.
The employee appears to finish putting away the money in his drawer before he walks to another side of the counter and pulls a machete on the armed suspect. The clerk even swipes at the suspect, who doesn't back down as the worker moves from behind the counter. According to police, the confrontation caused the unknown man to flee the store.
Officers were dispatched to the retailer just before 8 p.m. and spoke with the clerk. The employee told police the suspect walked into the store, pulled out a knife, and then fled after the "bigger knife" came out. Authorities reviewed witness statements and surveillance footage to identify the suspect, who was arrested the next day.
He was booked into the Pierce County jail for first-degree robbery and felony harassment.
On February 5, 2024, just before 8:00 PM, our officers were dispatched to a report of a robbery to a business in the 1100 block of Yakima Ave. Officers arrived and contacted the victim, who stated that an adult male suspect entered the store and brandished a knife. The victim then pulled an even bigger knife, causing the suspect to flee the scene. Through witness interviews and surveillance footage, we got a good look at our suspect. Officers quickly identified the suspect and the next day were able to track him down and arrest him. He was taken to the Pierce County Jail and booked for Felony Harassment and Robbery in the 1st degree. Check out the video from the scene, and stay tuned for more tales from the frontlines. Remember: if you see something, say something! Together, we're making our community safer, one arrest at a time. #CrimeFighters #gritcitycops #ThisIsAKnife 🕵️♂️🔍
Posted by Tacoma Police Department on Saturday, February 10, 2024