Police in Colfax, Iowa, arrested a man Tuesday after a citizen walked in to find him robbing a store.The Colfax Police Department and Jasper County Sheriff's deputies swarmed Casey’s General Store around 3 p.m. Tuesday. Three clerks were on the phone with law enforcement while hiding in an office. Brice Gathercole, a customer, walked into the store to buy a bag of ice when he noticed something suspicious. "I came up to the counter and there is this gentleman standing behind the counter with a gun stuffing his pockets full of cigarettes," Gathercole said. Gathercole says he calmly talked with the suspect to distract him while officers surrounded the general store. "Asking if he needed any help or if he needed a ride somewhere. Anything to get him kind of calm and relaxed. Then he bends down behind the counter, starts crying, gets up and his attitude changed. Well, that’s when he got the gun and pointed it at me. I grabbed ahold of it, pushed it away to my left side and then pulled it away from him," Gathercole said. Gathercole says he then walked outside with the gun and his hands in the air. Police then entered the store to arrest the suspect. Colfax police Chief Andy Summy says that Danny Stevens is in custody at the Jasper County jail. "It turned out the best way it could," said Summy.Summy says he is relieved with the outcome and called Gathercole a hero."I wouldn't call myself a hero. I was just helping out," Gathercole said.
Police in Colfax, Iowa, arrested a man Tuesday after a citizen walked in to find him robbing a store.
The Colfax Police Department and Jasper County Sheriff's deputies swarmed Casey’s General Store around 3 p.m. Tuesday. Three clerks were on the phone with law enforcement while hiding in an office.
Brice Gathercole, a customer, walked into the store to buy a bag of ice when he noticed something suspicious.
"I came up to the counter and there is this gentleman standing behind the counter with a gun stuffing his pockets full of cigarettes," Gathercole said.
Gathercole says he calmly talked with the suspect to distract him while officers surrounded the general store.
"Asking if he needed any help or if he needed a ride somewhere. Anything to get him kind of calm and relaxed. Then he bends down behind the counter, starts crying, gets up and his attitude changed. Well, that’s when he got the gun and pointed it at me. I grabbed ahold of it, pushed it away to my left side and then pulled it away from him," Gathercole said.
Gathercole says he then walked outside with the gun and his hands in the air. Police then entered the store to arrest the suspect.
Colfax police Chief Andy Summy says that Danny Stevens is in custody at the Jasper County jail.
"It turned out the best way it could," said Summy.
Summy says he is relieved with the outcome and called Gathercole a hero.
"I wouldn't call myself a hero. I was just helping out," Gathercole said.
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