A hospital spokesman couldn’t offer any information on December Long, but police did confirm that it was believed she would be okay. (Photo credit: Northwest Ohio)
An attempted robbery at a Stop and Go gas station resulted in an exchange of gunfire, leaving the female clerk in the hospital and the would-be robber dead Saturday night in Toledo, Ohio.
Christopher Shockley, 28, entered the store armed with a gun just after 9 o’clock with the intention of robbing the place. Although exact details of how the events transpired haven’t been made public, police did confirm with Northwest Ohio News that Shockley fired first, striking the store clerk, 29-year-old December Long, in the abdomen. However, Long then pulled out a gun of her own from behind the counter and returned fire.
“He came in to do the armed robbery. It turned into a gun fight,” Toledo Police spokesman Joe Heffernan said.
Both Shockley and Long were taken to a local hospital. Shockley, who was shot a single time in the torso, was pronounced dead a short time later. Long is expected to survive.
Authorities are reviewing surveillance video from the weekend robbery as part of the investigation. They also believe that there may have been a customer who witnessed part of the incident.
No charges are expected to be filed against Long, who acted in self-defense.
Christopher Shockley, who had been living in a half-way house, had a prior criminal record. (Photo credit: Northwest Ohio)
One frequent customer of the gas station, identified only as Jose, told reporters that the area is normally very quiet.
“For something like this to happen in our community, it’s just a shock,” he said.
Jose believes that the clerks should have the right to arm themselves. “I think it’s wise to carry a gun behind the counter, because you just never know,” he said.
He also believes that Long acted appropriately in the situation. “Well I would thank her honestly. That could have happened to someone else and what if they didn’t have a gun,” Jose said and added, “I just think if she didn’t have that weapon, what could have happened to her. This could be another innocent person dead for no reason.”
The Stop and Go stores are no stranger to robberies either. In fact, that same store was the location of another robbery back in February. In December of last year a man armed with a knife attempted to rob the Stop and Go in nearby Upton, only to leave emptied-handed when the clerk informed him, “Bro, we have nothing, nothing!” as she showed him the empty cash register, throwing her arms up in disbelief. Just hours before that December failed robbery, two more masked men attempted to rob another nearby Stop and Go.
But local law enforcement warn criminals to think twice before committing such acts. “You never know if that clerk behind the counter has a gun,” Heffernan said.
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