HOUSTON, TEXAS — A dramatic confrontation unfolded at a Houston convenience store when an armed customer intervened during an attempted robbery.
Four masked individuals stormed into a Circle K store at a Valero gas station on South Loop East, brandishing weapons and threatening customers., according to KTRK.
In response, a courageous shopper drew their own firearm and opened fire on the assailants, wounding three.
Police arrived at the scene shortly after the incident, which took place at 7:55 p.m. on Thursday.
Assistant Chief Ernest Garcia confirmed that the suspects had entered the store and begun terrorizing patrons when the armed customer took action.
During the chaos, a bystander was injured, though it remains uncertain whether the customer or one of the robbers was responsible.
Following the altercation, all four suspects fled the store and joined a fifth accomplice waiting in a getaway car. The injured bystander was transported to the hospital and is reported to be in stable condition. Subsequently, the suspects drove themselves to a nearby hospital for treatment, where three of them were apprehended. One is in critical condition, while the other two are stable.
Houston police currently have four suspects in custody and are searching for the fifth individual. According to investigators, the alleged perpetrators are believed to be young males, possibly juveniles, but their exact ages have not been determined.