Miami, Florida

From Fort Lauderdale’s Sun-Sentinel of May 18, 2006

Robbery suspect injured after shoot-out with store employees in Miami

An attempted robbery of a Miami store Thursday ended in a shoot-out as two employees refused to go down without a fight.

Miami police say Matthew Leon Felder, 19, walked into the New Way Supermarket at 2285 NW 22nd Ave., pulled a gun and demanded money from two store employees. Rather than give up the money, Roberto Pagan Jr., 30, and his manager Pasem Xousef Salameh, 34, pulled out two handguns.

Felder attempted to shoot his way out of the store and the employees returned fire. Both men then chased Felder out of the store, through yards, and over fences for nearly a full city block, police say.

During the gun battle, Felder was shot in the chest. He then tried to leap over a fence near 2130 NW 34th St., but got stuck as his shoelace got caught in the fence, leaving him partially suspended in air.

Felder was taken to an area hospital. Police plan to charge him with attempted armed robbery. Pagan and Salameh have not been charged with any crimes.

From Miramar’s NBC6.com of May 19, 2006

Store Clerk Shoots, Chases Down Robber

Clerks at a local convenience store shot at and chased down a man they said tried to rob them at gunpoint Thursday evening.

Police said Matthew Felder, 20, tried to rob the New Way Supermarket at about 8:30 p.m. Thursday.

The store manager, who wanted to be identified only as Pasem, said he shot Felder in self-defense, NBC 6's Carlos Vergara reported.

"I was absolutely sure that he was going to shoot me," Pasem said. "He looked at me straight, pointing the gun at me. But I was lucky I had my gun too."

Pasem shot three rounds. One went into a box on a shelf. The second went through the top of a plastic divider, and the third went through the middle of the divider and struck Felder in the chest, Vergara reported.

Felder, having taken a hollow-point bullet from a Glock 27 .40-caliber handgun, left the store and ran a city block, Vergara reported.

Pasem said he and another employee chased Felder through yards and over fences, while the trio exchanged gunfire.

"All I heard was the shots -- boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. 'Hey, what's this?' But then they started getting closer. That's when I saw it's right here at the front of the house," said James Smith, a witness.

Smith was sitting one house behind where Felder ended up partially suspended in the air by a shoelace that got stuck in a fence he tried to jump, Vergara reported.

Felder, who is a convicted felon due to another armed robbery, is expected to make a full recovery. He is charged with two counts of attempted felony murder, among other things.

Pasem sends out a stern warning to other potential robbers.

"If I get a chance, I'm defending myself. That's how it goes. You're not going to have fun with my money," Pasem said.

If convicted, Felder could face 30 years in prison.