Sacramento County sheriffÕs officers are seen at he Auburn Boulevard strip mall, located across the street from Sacramento CountyÕs Centralized Placement Support Unit, includes a smoke shop, two massage parlors, a liquor store and a gun dealer. (Photo By Paul Chinn/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
Shocking video of a would-be armed robber getting his “arm shot off” by an elderly liquor store clerk in California is going viral on social media, with over 700k views as of Tuesday.
Fox 11 reports that 80-year-old Craig Cope, who owns the business, saw a group of young hooded men with rifles in hand pull up his store on 2:47 a.m. Sunday.
However, Cope had a shotgun at-the-ready and was waiting as one of the would-be robbers, described as 23-year-old man, entered the store with his gun drawn.
Surveillance video shows as Cope quickly grabs his shotgun before firing straight at the approaching intruder, while four other suspects armed with guns were waiting in a getaway vehicle outside, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.
“He shot my arm off! He shot my arm off!” the would-be robber screamed as he fled the store.
The man was shot in the shoulder before fleeing the store and running back to the black BMW waiting outside, which police say was stolen.
Footage from outside the store shows as the driver of the car nearly leaves the injured man behind amidst the chaotic scene.
However, Cope did not leave unscathed after the heroic moment, having suffered a heart attack back inside the store. He was rushed to a nearby hospital shortly thereafter.
A store employee told ABC7 that Cope “is always prepared as far as weapons go.”
“He was on his toes, thank god,” store employee Marnie Tapia told ABC7. “He just prepared himself. He’s always prepared as far as weapons go.”
All of suspects are now in custody after police located them in a local hospital, having identified them from the gunshot wound.
The men waiting in the getaway car were identified as Justin Johnson, 22, of Inglewood, Jamar Williams, 27, of Los Angeles, and Davon Broadus, 24, of Las Vegas, according to police.
The man who was shot was not immediately identified, and was listed as in critical but stable condition.
“In this case, a lawfully armed member of our community prevented a violent crime and ensured their own safety while being confronted with multiple armed suspect,” the sheriff’s department said.
The store owner is expected to return to work despite the incident, per CBS2.
