LOCAL

W. Asheville store customer shoots alleged robber

Joel Burgess
The Citizen-Times
  • Police say they plan to arrest a juvenile for robbery.

ASHEVILLE - A customer at an Old Haywood Road convenience store shot a would-be robber Friday night, the owner of the M&J Food Store said.

Police wouldn't comment Sunday or Monday on the owner's version of events but said they found a person near the West Asheville store with a gunshot wound. Officers said they plan to serve arrest warrants on a juvenile who is now in Mission Hospital.

On Friday, two people came into the convenience store around 9:45 p.m., one brandishing a gun, another a Taser, owner Jamal Hamden said.

The owner of a West Asheville convenience store said a customer shot a would-be robber Friday.

At that point a customer shot one of the pair, Hamden said. Both fled without taking any money.

The police incident report lists four other people besides the owner at the scene. One is listed as a victim and three as witnesses.

On Sunday, Asheville Police Captain Gary Gudac said detectives confirmed there was an attempted robbery.

"We also had somebody who was found close by that was suffering from a gunshot wound."

Gudac said officers were waiting until that person had recovered enough to talk to them.

On Monday morning, police spokeswoman Christina Hallingse said they planned to charge a juvenile with robbery with a dangerous weapon and simple assault once that person was released from Mission Hospital.

"This incident is still under further investigation and no additional information is available at this time," Hallingse said.

She encouraged anyone with information about the events to contact the police department at 828-255-5050.