St. Paul, Minnesota

From the Minneapolis Star-Tribune of October 16, 2006

St. Paul clerk gains upper hand on suspect in robbery attempt

St. Paul police say a potential shooting victim turned the tables on his assailant Monday during an attempted robbery at an East Side convenience store.

Police are searching for a man described as about 5 feet 4 inches tall and about 20 years old.

Just after 4 p.m., police reported, the suspect pulled a gun on the clerk at the Blue Neighborhood Store on the northeast corner of Mendota and Fremont Streets.

"The clerk heard the gun go click and then pulled out his own firearm and fired two or three shots at the suspect," said Tom Walsh, a St. Paul police spokesman.

The suspect fled in a car, and Walsh said it's unclear whether he was hit by the clerk's shots. The clerk's name was not immediately released; police took him to downtown headquarters for questioning. No legal action against the clerk is expected.

"Absolutely not," Walsh said. "Under those circumstances, believe me, he's not in trouble."