Tampa store clerk thwarts armed robbery

TAMPA -- A store clerk thwarted an armed robbery attempt late Tuesday night when he pulled out a weapon of his own, according to Tampa police. The two armed robbers fired back at the clerk as they ran out of the store, police said, but no one was hurt.

The attempted robbery took place at the Friendly Meat 'N Grocery at 1910 N 34th St. around 9 p.m, according to police.

Two men wearing ski masks and gloves entered the store. One man pulled out a pistol and aimed it at the clerk.

But the clerk, Mohammed Abu Sayed, 49, also had a gun. Realizing he was about to be robbed, police said Sayed quickly armed himself.

Then the two men ran out of the store, police said, and the robber with the gun fired off a shot behind him as he ran. The bullet shattered a store window, police said. The men jumped in a dark-colored SUV and drove off in an unknown direction.

Police said no one was injured in the attempted robbery.

Jamal Thalji, Times staff writer

Comments

[mark davis]

go for the clerk. more people like this less robberys.

[mrknowitall]

great. Once these hoods get to where they can't tell who is armed and who isn't they may think twice.

[Gagggrr]

Ahh, bad thieves making HISTORY in 'Black History Month'
Quite celebrating and GET A REAL JOB

[Me]

Good point mrknowitall...

[Bird Watcher]

It's just too bad that the clerk couldn't have squeezed off a few round at the perps. Kudos to the clerk for keeping a level head, but the outcome could've been worse. Just think what could've happened if one of the robbers had gotten the clerk's gun. I'm just glad that no innocent person was hurt/killed.

[TFA]

Too bad the c-store's in st pete do not arm up and fight back.

[thugbgone]

It's about time somebody shot back. All these robberies and nobody fights back. I took my concealed weapons class (www.cwpclasses.com) and carry 24/7. If one of those thugs tries anything with me, I will blow him away. Legally arming our society and fighting back will give us law abiding citizens out streets back.

Look up on the internet "kennesaw gun laws" and you will see that when this town required all law abiding citizens to own a gun... amazingly, the crime rate dropped drastically... and no, the liberal media, like the Sp Times does not publish much about Kennesaw. The press does all it can to avoid letting you know how good it is to live in Kennesaw. The only good thug is a dead thug....