North Miami Beach, Florida

From Miami’s NBC6.net of December 1, 2005

Store Clerk Fires At Robbers During Gas Station Holdup

Police Believe One Assailant Was Wounded

A gas station clerk took matters into his own hands Wednesday night, shooting one of three robbers targeting his store.

Speaking in Spanish, Horatio Delgado said the men were armed and fired shots at him while robbing the Sunoco station on North Biscayne Boulevard.

"All three gunmen went into the business armed, masked and demanded money," said North Miami Beach Detective Rich Rand. "In fact, the owner of the business gave them money and did not put up a struggle and at some point they fired at the owner."

So Delgado fought back, grabbing a pistol under the store counter and firing at the men.

"He grabs a gun that he had in his business and returned fire in fear of his life, being shot at by three masked men," Rand said. "We believe he hit one of the subjects."

On Thursday, Delgado cleaned the trail of blood at the front door to a spot where the wounded man jumped into a getaway vehicle.

Police are looking for three black men who were driving a pickup truck. Rand said the break in the case might come when the wounded bandit has to seek treatment.

"Generally what will happen is people will fake a crime or try and hide the injury and say they were victim of a crime and a lot of times it is not reported to police," Rand said.