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Statesville Pizza Hut Worker Wrestles Gun Away From Robber
Posted: 4:28 pm EDT September 24, 2009Updated: 8:55 pm EDT September 24, 2009
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STATESVILLE, N.C. -- A local man said he knew a masked robber would kill him when he couldn't open a Statesville restaurant's safe. And because he has a family to take care of, he said he knew he had to fight back.
Therman Martin said he found himself in a fight for his life late Tuesday night. He was working at the Pizza Hut on Signal Hill Drive when an armed robber burst in and tried to force him to open the safe.
“He kept demanding I open the safe, and I can't open the safe. I'm just the oven man,” he said.
Martin said the robber forced him into the bathroom and he knew his life was in danger.
“He took the gun and held it to my leg and squeezed the trigger -- and it didn't go off,” he said.
That's when Martin leapt into action and started fighting back.
“I kept bending his arm and he wouldn't let the gun go, so I started biting him. And I bit his finger until he let the gun go, and when I got that gun -- that's when he was scared,” Martin said.
The gun went off in the scuffle. Three shots were fired, but nobody was hit.
The robber took off running for the door but not before making a bold request.
“He said, ‘Please give me the gun back. It's not my gun and I'll leave.’ I said, ‘You shouldn't have been here trying to rob somebody who's trying to make a living,’” Martin said.
Martin described the suspect as a black man about 5 feet 10 inches tall and 160 pounds. He was wearing dark clothes and a ski mask.
If you have information that can help officers find that robber, call Crime Stoppers at 704-437-COPS.
VIDEO:
VICTIM'S EXTENDED INTERVIEW: Pizza Hut Robber Pleads for His Gun
I'm glad he was really bad at what he was doing.
Statesville Pizza Hut Worker Wrestles Gun Away From Robber
Posted: 4:28 pm EDT September 24, 2009Updated: 8:55 pm EDT September 24, 2009
Comment On This Story ››
STATESVILLE, N.C. -- A local man said he knew a masked robber would kill him when he couldn't open a Statesville restaurant's safe. And because he has a family to take care of, he said he knew he had to fight back.
Therman Martin said he found himself in a fight for his life late Tuesday night. He was working at the Pizza Hut on Signal Hill Drive when an armed robber burst in and tried to force him to open the safe.
“He kept demanding I open the safe, and I can't open the safe. I'm just the oven man,” he said.
Martin said the robber forced him into the bathroom and he knew his life was in danger.
“He took the gun and held it to my leg and squeezed the trigger -- and it didn't go off,” he said.
That's when Martin leapt into action and started fighting back.
“I kept bending his arm and he wouldn't let the gun go, so I started biting him. And I bit his finger until he let the gun go, and when I got that gun -- that's when he was scared,” Martin said.
The gun went off in the scuffle. Three shots were fired, but nobody was hit.
The robber took off running for the door but not before making a bold request.
“He said, ‘Please give me the gun back. It's not my gun and I'll leave.’ I said, ‘You shouldn't have been here trying to rob somebody who's trying to make a living,’” Martin said.
Martin described the suspect as a black man about 5 feet 10 inches tall and 160 pounds. He was wearing dark clothes and a ski mask.
If you have information that can help officers find that robber, call Crime Stoppers at 704-437-COPS.
VIDEO:
VICTIM'S EXTENDED INTERVIEW: Pizza Hut Robber Pleads for His GunI'm glad he was really bad at what he was doing.
