A. July 31st attempted robbery of a Norco, CA liquor store ended terribly for the brazen burglar. Video surveillance footage shows the man entering the store at around 2:47 AM, pointing a rifle at the owner behind the service counter. The 80-year-old owner wastes no time and responds to the threat by grabbing his rifle and squeezing off one shot at the suspect, who immediately fled the store. Additional video taken outside the front of the store shows the man running into a waiting SUV, screaming, “He shot my arm off. “
Craig Cope, the 80-year-old owner of Norco Market and Liquor, told local Fox 11, that “there wasn’t much time to think about it. The guy pointed the gun right at me. I’m not going to give him the chance. I’m not going to let him get off the first shot at that point. I don’t know that I did anything that someone else wouldn’t have done. When asked if Cope was tipped off when the culprit put his mask on, he responded that “ he saw them through the front door drive into the front door into this parking lot but they didn’t part where a normal person would park so that was a red flag. They parked the car on the side of the building where they’re basically out of sight. That was the second red flag. When I looked at them getting out of the vehicle, they got gloves, masks, a weapon……that solidified the deal. I knew what was coming.”
Cope, who suffered a mild heart attack at some point during the botched robbery, implores politicians to do something because they “don’t have a clue about what’s going on in the real world. They’re creating major problems for business owners but for local law enforcement, they’re creating problems for them. I’m sure they risk their lives taking people into custody to see them let out with no bail. A lot of these people are career criminals.”
Local police were able to track all four suspects at a local hospital. The gunman who attempted the robbery remains hospitalized in critical but stable condition with what appears to be a major hand/arm injury. The identity of the 23-year-old suspect, as well as the 3 accomplices, remains anonymous. The SUV used in the burglary attempt had been reported as stolen. All suspects remain in police custody.
When asked if he had a message for anyone who might be considering the same act, he responded by saying “this isn’t a good place to pick.” Cope says that he is feeling much better since suffering a heart attack.
