Customers forced to run, hide from gunman who robbed gas station

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Gwinnett County police are searching for a masked gunman who robbed a Lawrenceville gas station off Duluth Highway early Saturday morning.

Even though it's difficult to see the suspect's face, the gas station manager gave Channel 2 Action News video, hoping someone might recognize something familiar, like the purple glove he was wearing.

The video shows the suspect shooting at the clerk and terrorizing customers.

Witnesses said the gunman fired first outside the gas station. Then he went inside where he fired again before getting away with thousands of dollars.

Channel 2's Steve Gehlbach spoke with one of the customers who hid out with a 13-year-old girl as her mother was outside the store.

“I said, ‘Let me duck so he won’t see me,’ that’s when I (saw) the little girl and pulled her in also with me so we both can be safe,” Shyrome Marshall said.

We’re hearing from a store clerk who describes the moment a bullet flew right past his head, on Channel 2 Action News starting at 4 p.m.

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Customers, including the 13-year-old girl, hid in the bathroom while the robber held the clerk at gunpoint, even firing once. He eventually ran behind the counter and demanding all the money.

"It’s very bold, I would think, for someone to go in there with all those people in there,” Payne said.

Channel 2's Alyssa Hyman showed the video to Laurie Payne, who goes to the convenience store regularly.

"I was surprised that it was right here. This is not usually a scary part of town, really," Payne said.

Hyman visited the store saw a bullet hole above the counter and a dent in the computer where it hit next.

The gunman stole the clerk's car to get away, according to police.

In all, the clerk estimated that the gunman got away with around $3,000, including several hundred dollars from a donation jar.

Witnesses also said the gunman had a tattoo on his right wrist.

Cox Media Group