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SALT LAKE CITY — Two store employees tackled an armed man and took his gun away after they say he tried to rob them Monday.
Investigators caught up with the man, identified as 36-year-old David Busbee, about 40 minutes later and arrested him following a brief standoff at an apartment complex.
The incident began about 12:30 p.m. at Quetzal Imports, 580 W. 500 North, when Busbee walked into the store, fired a shot into the ceiling and told a clerk behind the counter that he was robbing him, said Salt Lake Police Sgt. Robin Heiden.
But while the gunman was focused on the man behind the counter, another store employee sneaked up on the would-be robber, she said.
"That guy tackles the robber, and the other clerk joins in and they wrestle on the ground and get the gun out of his hand," Heiden said.
That guy tackles the robber and the other clerk joins in and they wrestle on the ground and get the gun out of his hand.
–Salt Lake Police Sgt. Robin Heiden
The struggle actually went from one end of the store aisle to the other before the gun was taken away, she said. Busbee then ran out the door without his weapon to a waiting vehicle and drove off. One of the employees suffered minor injuries after either being pistol-whipped or punched while struggling with the man.
In addition to the gun, other items of evidence were also left behind that detectives used to look for Busbee at several addresses around the valley. About 1:40 p.m., an officer spotted the Busbee's vehicle at an apartment complex, 4001 S. 300 East, and then spotted someone matching his description.
Busbee ran into one of the apartments. Salt Lake, Unified and the South Salt Lake police officers and Utah Highway Patrol troopers set up a containment area around the complex. A school about three blocks away went into a brief lockdown as a precaution, according to Heiden.
About 45 minutes later, Busbee surrendered without incident, and he and three others who were in the apartment were taken to Salt Lake police headquarters for questioning. The sergeant said detectives were trying to determine if anyone else was involved in the robbery attempt.
A small child was also in the apartment at the time, Heiden said.
