Store clerk kills attempted robber, police say

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — An armed robber shot and killed after he opened fire on a store clerk is now being linked to other recent crimes.

The shooting happened at the Happy Package Store on Rockbridge Road in DeKalb County.

The clerk told Channel 2’s Liz Artz the gunman who entered the store around 8 p.m. Tuesday was the first to open fire.

"When he was firing, he shot almost five times, so he had every intention to kill me. He didn't care," the clerk told Artz, asking not to be identified.

Still badly shaken up, he walked Artz through the gun battle inside his store.

He showed Artz how the young man walked into the store and jumped over the counter.

“The next thing I know he started to fire. He shot twice," the clerk said.

And then within a split second, the clerk pulled out his own weapon, a revolver.

“I shot back. I got him," the clerk told Artz.

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The male ran around the counter, and as he was exiting the store, he fired several more rounds toward the clerk," Maj. Steve Fore with the DeKalb County Police Department said.

The gunman ran about 50 yards before collapsing. He later died from a gunshot wound at Grady Memorial Hospital.

Police have not yet released his name, but investigators said the gunman was in his early 20s and was wanted for similar crimes in the area.

“We believe he's possibly connected to some other armed robberies in the area as recently as this month and late last month,” Fore said.

“This guy preplanned this. I found out he's been doing this on a regular basis. He has harmed people before and they all kept saying he has done this before and is wanted on outstanding warrant. I guess I was just lucky yesterday,” the clerk told Artz.

The clerk said police told him he was justified in shooting the robber and would face no charges.

“They've taken my gun for evidence. I'll have to have another gun if I'm going to keep working there," the clerk said.

Police are still are awaiting contact from the family before releasing the name of the man who died.

Cox Media Group