A man who stopped for takeout late Sunday night in Philadelphia thwarted a robbery, police said.
Police told the Daily Caller they received an emergency call for a robbery-shooting inside Wingstop in the 2100 block Cottman Avenue around 10:15 p.m., where an unidentified 53-year-old male was robbing the store at gunpoint.
“[He] walked in, went behind the counter, announced a robbery and asked for all the money,” Philadelphia Police Department Chief Inspector Scott Small told WPVI.
POLICE: Would-be robber shot by customer at Wing Stop in Norteast #Philadelphia (2100 block of Cottman Ave). Robber demanded money from register and customer’s phone. Customer, who has a permit to carry, fired one fatal shot that hit the suspect in the neck. @6abc pic.twitter.com/R2EtKxZ95e
— TaRhonda Thomas (@TaRhondaThomas) November 30, 2020
However, before employees could hand over the cash, an unidentified 27-year-old entered the store, according to police. The man was unaware that he walked into a robbery and was reportedly talking on his cell phone, according to WPVI. (RELATED: FedEx Driver Pulls His Own Gun, Kills Robber After Being Shot In Stomach)
“That’s when the robber pointed a gun at that customer and demanded his cell phone,” Small told WPVI.
The customer then pulled out his legally owned firearm and shot the suspect, hitting him in the neck. The suspect was pronounced dead on the scene by paramedics around 10:30 p.m., according to police.
The customer has complied with the investigation, which is still ongoing, and is not expected to face any charges, according to WPVI.
“The customer, who was also a victim because he had the gun pointed at him, remained on the scene, did cooperate with police,” Small said, according to KYW-TV. “We do have his weapon. We know that just one shot was fired from that customer.”