An Indiana furniture store owner turned the tables on a would-be armed robber last month, pulling out his own firearm and forcing the suspect to bolt.
According to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, the suspect walked into the store and spoke to owner Doyle Stinson on the morning of July 5. Police said the suspect pulled out a gun and demanded money.
Stinson said he gave the suspect $10 from his wallet, but the man told him: “I know you’ve got more money than that because this is a business.” The suspect then marched Stinson to the owner’s office and the back of the store.
“Once he gets me back to the back room, that was a mistake,” Stinson told Fox 59. “I go back here, I hit my silent alarm emergency button.”
Stinson told the station that he knew the would-be robber’s gun wasn’t loaded. When the pair got to his office, the store owner grabbed his own .40-caliber weapon.
The suspect fled the store. Stinson took aim, but didn’t fire because he saw a boy in front of the store and was concerned he would be hit by a stray bullet.
“If you’re shooting a .40-caliber, it’s going to go through him, through this merchandise, through that window, and what’s beyond that window,” Stinson said, “[The boy’s] got a lot more to live than me.”
After calling the police, Stinson and another business owner briefly chased after the suspect’s car before turning back.
Police described the suspect’s car as a dark-colored Chevrolet Trailblazer from the 2004 or 2005 model year that has Indiana license plates.
