7-year-old stands up to 2 armed robbers at GameStop store in Maryland
SILVER SPRING, Md. (ABC7) — For one Montgomery County family, a Friday night outing turned into a hair-raising confrontation at gun point.
"They were on top of us really before we knew what was happening," recalls the father, who asked that his name not be used.
He, his wife, and their 7-year-old son had stopped at a Silver Spring GameStop store to buy a plush toy as a gift for a friend's birthday.
Instead, the family found themselves in the midst of an armed robbery, caught on surveillance tape.
"The two suspects knew exactly what they wanted to do, and aggressively took over the store," says Officer Rick Goodale, a Montgomery County police spokesperson.
Authorities say the robbers, wearing hoodies, masks, and dark clothing, entered the store just before it's 9 p.m. closing last Friday night; a time when a few customers would be inside.
The video, released by police on Wednesday, shows brief glimpses of the mother and father, who quickly disappear from view.
"He pointed the gun and said get on the floor, then he pushed us on the floor," the father recalls.
Just 10 feet away, the youngster fought back, with a flurry of punches.
"He's a brave little boy, and he recognized he was in a dangerous situation," the father says. "And there was a stranger and he was trying to defend himself."
By now, both parents were on the floor, with a gun pointed at their heads.
"I said out loud, 'I need my son'. He broke free from them and came to us."
The video then shows the robbers pushing the two clerks behind the counter, down to the floor.
"He threatened their lives and was pointing the gun at them, so it was a violent crime, no question about it," the father says.
The robbers are seen going through the cash drawer.
One of them took a clerk's cell phone.
"Video games can be very expensive. [GameStops] do deal with cash, so there's a lot of opportunity," Goodale says.
The two men then ran off.
Police are asking if anyone recognizes the men in the video, to please contact them.
GameStop released a statement which says in part:
"As always, our top priority is the safety and protection of our customers. We are working closely with local law-enforcement as they conduct an investigation," wrote Jackie Smith, a company spokeswoman.
The father says he's just grateful his family, especially his son, wasn't hurt.
"We don't want something like this to strike fear into him for a good portion of his life," he says. "The best thing we can say to our son in this instance is that the bad guys have been found, and they are in jail."
Both robbers are described by police as black men in their 20s, approximately 5 feet 6 inches tall, and weighing 170 pounds.
Montgomery County Police are asking anyone with information on the incident to call department's Robbery Section at 240-773-5070. Callers that want to remain anonymous can contact Crime Solvers of Montgomery County toll-free at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477). Police say Crime Solvers will pay a reward of up to $10,000 for information that leads to an arrest in this robbery.
