Greeneville, Tennessee

From Johnson City’s TriCities.com of February 5, 2007

Tri-Cities pharmacist stops armed robbery using her gun

Susong Pharmacy in Greeneville usually welcomes the sound of a person entering the store, but not lately. The pharmacy has been robbed twice in the last few months and employees have had enough.

"I hated it happened, but he asked for it in my opinion," a store employee who asked to remain anonymous said.

Police say an armed man entered the store wearing a ski-mask this afternoon, went to the front, and demanded hydrocodone. An unnamed pharmacy technician says the man confronted her.

"It was like deja vu, being that I was just robbed by what looked like the same gentleman back on December 27th," the woman said. "He thought he was going to walk in, walk back out, and he was very surprised. He got a little bit more than he asked for."

The woman says her co-worker pulled out her gun and fired a warning shot at the man. She says the first round didn't phase the robber, but the second did. She says the bullet hit the man in his chest and before the robber made it out, the employee fired one more shot.

The stores surveillance cameras caught everything on tape, but the video has since been locked up in evidence. Investigators now search for the man in that video. Capt. Terry Webb says he doesn't question the pharmacist's reaction, but he discourages anyone from taking matters into their own hands.

"We always recommend if you're put in an armed robbery situation, to go ahead and cooperate and give the person whatever they're asking for, and that way nobody gets hurt," Webb said.

That said, pharmacy employees say they're tired of being the victim. In fact, they hope two bullet holes in the wall send a message.

Police believe the suspect fled the scene in an early nineties model Dodge Dakota pick-up truck. They say the two-tone tan and possibly silver pick-up also has back bumper damage.