TACOMA, WA – Two teenagers were apprehended following a robbery at a local convenience store in Tacoma on Wednesday afternoon. The suspects, an 18-year-old male and a 16-year-old male, allegedly targeted the EZ Mart on Pacific Avenue.
Security footage revealed the suspects entering the store, with one brandishing a firearm at the store clerk and forcing them to the ground. The suspects then proceeded to steal merchandise from behind the counter before making their escape. Tacoma Police Officer Shelby Boyd confirmed that the suspects were arrested a few blocks away from the scene. It was also reported that at least one gunshot was fired before the police arrived.
A woman, who wished to remain anonymous, expressed her relief at being unharmed. She had entered the convenience store shortly after the robbery and decided to follow the suspects in her car. She recounted her experience, stating that she had tried to act as a Good Samaritan. She followed the suspects, who were on foot, and called 911. However, she had to retreat when shots were fired.
The woman reported hearing a gunshot near Division Lane and Pacific Avenue, which hit her front passenger tire. She quickly reversed her car and left the scene, all while on the phone with 911. She returned to the convenience store where police had already arrived.
Investigators reported that the suspects were apprehended close to where the gunshot was fired. The woman expressed her relief at the arrest and the removal of a firearm from the streets, hoping that the court system would deliver justice.
The Tacoma Police Department confirmed that the teenagers were taken to Pierce County Jail. They are now facing multiple charges in connection to the incicent, including robbery and assault. The owner of EZ Mart revealed that this was not the first robbery at the store. He expressed relief that no one was injured and hoped for accountability from the court system.