Robbery cases are going up with each passing year and the United States witnesses many such crimes in small shops, banks, and even restaurants. In just such a case, two armed robbers attempted to steal cash from a Taco Bell restaurant in Cleveland. However, they were not expecting what took place next.
What happened?
Two armed robbers entered a Taco Bell restaurant on Wednesday at around 2.45 a.m. The robbers wore masks on their faces to conceal their identities. They pointed their weapons at the staff working at the restaurant and asked them to stay still.
At this same time, three Employees in the restaurant were armed with guns. Two of these employees were aged 19, while the third one is 23 years old.
All three of them decided to take out their guns and shoot at the robbers at once. One of the robbers was shot in the chest and ribs area six times, while the other anticipating danger quickly fled the scene. The robber who was shot fell on the floor unconscious. When police arrived at the scene, they quickly transferred the victim over to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
After the incident, police reported that there were no customers inside the restaurant when the incident occurred, which is fortunate. Ohio has a policy which indicates that workers can be prohibited to carry guns in the workplace if the owner so wishes.
However, it is not certain in this case whether the employees brandished the firearms with the express permission of the store owner, Arthur Giles, or not. Police did not reveal the name of the three employees who shot the burglars or the name of the deceased.
What Taco Bell had to say?
No charges have been filed against the employees and Giles says that all of them acted in self-defense for which they should not be persecuted.
Taco Bell said in a statement that it was co-operating completely with the authorities and aiding them in the investigation into the incident. The company also said that it had offered for free counseling sessions to the three employees who were involved in the event.
Even though Ohio does have a strict law when it comes to guns at the workplace, Taco Bell's website does not reveal any such measures about the same.
So, it is a matter of debate whether the three employees were carrying the firearms legally or not. Police will now have to verify if Giles was informed of their decision of carrying the guns, which will determine whether the three did commit any crime or not.
