Garland, Texas

From the Dallas Morning News of January 10, 2006

Garland jeweler shoots at robbery suspect

A Garland jewelry store owner thwarted a Tuesday morning robbery after shooting at the gunman.

No one was injured in the shooting at Nasr Brothers Jewelry in the 1200 block of Northwest Highway, but the suspect got away.

The incident occurred about 10:20 a.m., shortly after owner John Nasr opened the store.

Store manager Claude Rizk said when he approached the suspect near the display cases at the front of the store, the man pulled out a gun and pointed it at him.

Upon facing the gun, "all I could think of was my little girl," Mr. Rizk said.

Seconds later, Mr. Nasr, who is a trained marksman, fired three shots at the suspect through a glass window in the store's jewelry repair room. The man ran from the store and fled in a white 1990s-model Cadillac with paper dealer tags and a broken right taillight.

Mr. Nasr said he used a .40-caliber Glock pistol that his girlfriend gave him for Christmas.

As he swept shards of glass off the floor, Mr. Rizk, a Catholic, glanced at a crucifix hanging over a door frame.

"That's what really saved us," he said.

Tuesday's incident marked the first attempted robbery at the 26-year-old store since 1989.

A May 2005 robbery attempt at another Nasr Brothers Jewelry store in Rockwall also ended in gunfire. Owner Louis Nasr fired at two suspects during that incident, hitting one in the chest. Both men were caught, pleaded guilty and were sentenced to more than 30 years in prison.

Mr. Rizk said he has worked at the Garland store for 18 years and is also a trained gun owner.

"We're from Lebanon," he said. "We're used to firearms."