Family Dollar employee shoots alleged armed robber in Cleveland

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - A Family Dollar employee told Cleveland police she returned fire at an armed robber after he allegedly shot at her while fleeing the store, according to a crime report.

This happened Sunday at the Family Dollar location at 2704 Clark Avenue near the border of the Ohio City neighborhood.

The police report said a man walked up to the cash register with a bag of chips to purchase.

When a male employee went to give the man change, he pulled out a gun and reached into the cash register, according to the report.

The suspect then pointed the gun at a female staff member, the report said, and started to flee the store.

That’s when, according to the report, the female employee grabbed her own gun and followed the man out.

The 28-year-old woman told police the suspect fired a shot at her and she returned fire, hitting him in the leg, the report said.

Officers took the employee’s gun into evidence and went to search for the man.

They found an abandoned backpack that contained a gun in an area where the suspect was seen running, according to the report.

Surveillance video reviewed by police confirmed it was the suspect’s backpack, the report said.

Officers did not locate the alleged robber, and the incident remains under investigation.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Cleveland police.

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