Louisville, Kentucky

From WLKY of April 20, 2007

Clerks Attack Robbers

Police said two men entered Expressway Liquors at the 300 block of Lee Street, pointed guns and demanded cash.

But a clerk had other ideas.

“There was a clerk in the back room who heard the commotion,” owner Kenny Singer said. “He had a weapon with him, as he came out the door, the man was pointing a weapon at him and my clerk just started firing.”

The clerk fired five shots as the robber retreated. Police said Terrance Daniel Wilburn was caught on tape stumbling out of the store after the botched robbery. Police said he or an unidentified accomplice might have been shot.

But Louisville Metro police public information officer Dwight Mitchell said both clerks were lucky that they didn’t get themselves hurt. He said employees should comply with robbers’ demands, be good witnesses and not take aim at robbers.

“(Fighting back) serves as a tremendous risk you’re taking,” Mitchell said. “Does that risk outweigh the outcome?”

Both owners acknowledge a risk, but also a reward.

Just inside Singer’s door is a sign about robbers doing time. Next to it is a sign warning of a potential death sentence.

“When these guys take it upon themselves that they're going to just take a gun and go in and hold up a place I feel sure, one day, one of them's just going to be laying on this floor,” Singer said.

Read more about 2nd clerk with taser