At 9:43 pm, on Friday March 9th, our deputies responded to an unknown trouble call at the Chevron Food Mart at 11802 Meridian E. in Puyallup.
Our deputies arrived on scene and saw customers waiting outside the locked doors of the business and several people standing inside. When the clerk opened the doors he told them the man in black was stealing.
Deputies attempted to arrest the suspect and he first pretended to comply by putting his hands behind his back. When the deputy tried to grab his hands he moved them and tried to go towards the door.
Our deputies were able to get him down on the ground but he was still resisting and reaching for his waistband.
Eventually they were able to handcuff him. The suspect then admitted he had a firearm tucked in his waistband.
The firearm was removed, cleared and then the suspect was put into a patrol car while they investigated further.
Deputies were able to speak to the clerk who told them the suspect had entered the store earlier, left and came back a second time. The suspect came up to the window, had a gun displayed in his waistband and started stealing vapes. The clerk was scared and locked the door to keep the suspect from escaping. Other citizens in the store also helped by blocking the suspect’s way. The suspect threatened to shoot them if they didn’t open the door.
The 19-year-old suspect was booked into the Pierce County Jail for Robbery in the 1st Degree, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, Obstruction and Resisting Arrest.