The Press-Telegram Long Beach, Calif. 06/09/09

A man dressed in a white three-piece suit entered Long Beach Pawn and Jewelry in Long Beach, Calif. and began looking at the jewelry counter, with the help of a store employee. The man in the suit then signaled to two men outside the shop who rushed in and blocked the exit. The man in the white suit drew a gun and ordered everyone to the floor. An armed employee confronted the group of criminals, at which point the armed criminal shot the employee in the cheek. The employee returned fire, striking one of the robbers in the leg and causing them all to flee. The armed employee was taken to a local medical facility where he is expected to survive. Police were unable to immediately locate the three robbery suspects. A witness inside the pawn shop was happy to have an armed employee present at the scene, stating, “I hate to think what would have happened if he didn't have his gun…It probably would have turned into a take-over.” The witness also questioned the criminal’s choice of target, stating, “I mean, who's stupid enough to try and rob a pawn shop? They have tons of security, it's covered in cameras, who doesn't know that?”