San Diego police released video of the frightening moments when a clerk was pistol whipped and robbed in a Scripps Ranch convenience store hoping someone will recognize the suspect.
In the video, a man wearing a dark hoodie and gloves, wielding a gun, entered the Market at the Ranch gas station and liquor store on Thursday, April 6 at 9:25 p.m.
The store is located on Scripps Trail north of Pomerado Road and east of Interstate 15.
Police said the suspect demanded the clerk open the cash register but the clerk had difficulty getting the register to open.
The suspect then fired a handgun, sending a bullet into the cigarette display case along the way and then smacked the store clerk in the eye with the gun.
The clerk managed to open the register and put cash into a black plastic bag the suspect brought with him, police said.
When the clerk told the suspect he couldn’t open the safe, the suspect fired a second round before pistol whipping and kicking the clerk.
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Nobody was hit by the gunfire. The suspect got away with an unknown amount of cash, leaving the area in a silver-colored SUV.
The clerk was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment for minor injuries to his face, police said.
Dave Vitale has owned Pazzo’s Pizza for more than 20 years. His business is two doors down from the market.
Vitale said he also caught the man on his security camera footage.
“[He’s] walking out after doing something that horrifying it’s unbelievable,” said Vitale. “That’s what scares me the most about this person is he has no fear.”
No other information was immediately available.
With the video and images, police released the following description for the suspect. They say he is a black man, 5-feet, 7-inches, 165 lbs with a mustache, wearing blue jeans, a hooded sweatshirt and grey gloves.
Anyone with information on the identity or location of the suspect is asked to call the SDPD’s Robbery Unit at (619) 531-2299 or the Crime Stoppers anonymous tip line at (888) 580-8477.
