Charges expected against men who had alleged robbery thwarted by armed store owner

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RIVERSIDE  – Felony charges are expected to be filed today against three men who allegedly tried to rob a Norco liquor store but were confronted by the shotgun-wielding owner, who opened fire on the armed men, wounding one and prompting all of them to beat a hasty retreat.
Davon Anthony Broadus, 24, of Inglewood, Justin Kyle Johnson, 22, of
Inglewood, and Jamar Elijah Williams, 26, of Las Vegas were arrested Sunday on
suspicion of robbery and conspiracy.
All of the men are being held in lieu of $500,000 bail — Broadus at the Smith Correctional Facility in Banning, Johnson at the Robert Presley Jail in Riverside and Williams at the Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta.
A fourth man, whose identity was not disclosed, was the one wounded and remains hospitalized. He’s expected to recover and will be booked into jail on similar allegations when he’s medically cleared to leave the hospital, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.
Capt. Mike Koehler said that shortly before 3 a.m. Sunday, the four alleged would-be robbers pulled into the parking lot of Norco Market & Liquor at 816 Sixth St., exiting a BMW SUV holding long rifles, one of which was an AR-15.
“These suspects approached the business entrance … wearing facial coverings and hoods,” Koehler said. “Immediately upon entering the business, with the rifles pointed at the ready, an employee inside the business fired a single shot from a shotgun, causing the suspects to flee.”
The store owner, armed with a 12-gauge pump action, has since been publicly identified as 80-year-old Craig Cope.
“I got a long gun pointed directly at me,” Cope told the New York Post. “It was either him or me, and I was a little bit faster.”
The wounded robber was struck in the left arm and fled from the establishment, screaming, “He shot my arm off!”
Koehler alleged that the foursome went to a regional trauma center, where the wounded suspect sought medical treatment.
Sheriff’s deputies were summoned to investigate, and they discovered Broadus, Johnson and Williams in the SUV, parked outside the hospital, according to Koehler.
He said that the three men, who were not injured, were taken into custody without incident after it was confirmed the BMW had been reported stolen.
“The vehicle was found to contain numerous stolen firearms,” Koehler said.
Further investigation, relying on security surveillance camera video at the store, confirmed that Cope had opened fire in self defense. He was not injured.
“A lawfully armed member of our community prevented a violent crime and ensured their own safety while being confronted with multiple armed suspects,” the captain said.
Background information on the suspects was not available.   Copyright 2022, City News Service, Inc.

 

City News Service (CNS)