Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY — A 7-Eleven clerk who was shot in the face during an armed robbery early Wednesday was hospitalized in serious but stable condition.
Salt Lake police are searching for the robber and have offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to the gunman's arrest.
Investigators checked surveillance video from the 7-Eleven at 483 S. Redwood Road for clues to the man's identity, but his face was fully covered with a knitted fabric mask. That video shows the robber walked into the store around 2 a.m. and confronted the clerk, who was stocking shelves.
"He walked the clerk back behind the counter, emptied all the tills, and then ended up going into the back room," said Salt Lake Police Lt. Dave Cracroft.
Once they were in the back room, police say he forced the clerk to stop the video surveillance cameras from recording. "Before leaving the store, the suspect shot the victim point blank in the face," a police report states.
The 44-year-old clerk, whose name has not been released, was badly injured but was conscious and able to call police.
"He was able to speak a little and called 911," Cracroft said. "He told us there had been a robbery and that he'd been shot. When officers got here, he was not speaking and was in shock, certainly upset."
Anyone with information is asked to call police at 801-799-3000.
He was taken to Intermountain Medical Center in serious but stable condition.
Police say the robber was last seen headed east on 500 South. They think he left on foot then got into a car. The gunman was wearing a white T-shirt, black pants, light blue Converse shoes and a blue Chicago Cubs baseball hat. He is described as between 5 feet 8 inches and 6 feet tall, with a slim build.
In addition to money from three cash registers, the gunman also took several DVDs during the robbery.
Investigators released a surveillance photo of a "person of interest" in the case who was seen riding a bicycle in the same area at about the same time as the robbery. While they are unsure if he's connected to the case, officers want to talk to him.
Anyone with information is asked to call police at 801-799-3000. Callers may remain anonymous.
-----
Written with contributions from Benjamin Wood and Sandra Yi.
---
