NC convenience store clerk pistol-whipped during robbery

ASHEVILLE, NC (WLOS) — A convenience store clerk in Asheville, North Carolina was violently attacked during an armed robbery Wednesday, and now, police are releasing surveillance video of the incident hoping for tips.

 “You’ll see two individuals coming in wearing all black. The two individuals go behind the clerk’s counter. You see a struggle with the clerk and right before they get off camera they start to hit him with a firearm,” Detective Shawn Parker with the Asheville Police Department told WLOS.

The clerk was confronted by one suspect who points the weapon at him.

“He’s a bit traumatized I’ll say that,” store manager Adrian Crimiel said.

“I don’t exactly know them personally by name but I definitely… I definitely recognize the two,” Crimiel said.

Outside surveillance shows the suspect pointing the weapon the manager says at the clerk, as the second suspect then runs.

Now the Asheville Police Department hopes people recognize the suspect’s clothing.

“One of the individuals has a champion sweatshirt and another has a sweatshirt that says the initials L and R,” Parker said,

“I mean I’ve been robbed but not at gunpoint but seeing that happen to him it’s like is it going to happen to me? He’s a coworker, you know, he’s family,” Crimiel said. 

The owner says she’s owned the store for five years and in that time has never had a crime like this.

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