Sun City, Arizona



From the Arizona Republic of January 14, 2004

Robbery suspect shot in Sun City



A robbery suspect was wounded Tuesday during an attempted noontime holdup at a strip-mall smoke shop.



The suspect was shot twice by a merchant after he entered Smokers Domain, 10914 W. Bell Road, and brandished a weapon, authorities said.



The bandit was wounded in the upper body when the owner of the business grabbed a gun from under the counter and fired.



The suspect ended up with nothing for his effort except "a bunch of lead," said Capt. Ron Stoner, a Maricopa County Sheriff's Office supervisor.



Deputies are investigating whether the man is responsible for nearly a half-dozen other Sun City robberies during the past month.



One of them is a Christmas Eve stickup at the same smoke shop, Stoner said.



...



The suspect, a man in his 30s, was flown to a Phoenix hospital with wounds that were not considered life-threatening, said Sgt. Paul Chagolla, a sheriff's spokesman.



The weapon used in Tuesday's holdup turned out to be a replica handgun that fires plastic pellets, Chagolla said.



Witnesses said the robber tried to flee after being shot, but the merchant chased him down and held him at gunpoint until deputies arrived.