Minit mart employees fight back, restrain would-be robbery suspect

NC GAZETTE / WBRT RADIO
STAFF REPORT

Friday, May 1, 2015, 10 a.m. — Employees at Thompson’s Food Mart, 706 North Third St., fought back against an intoxicated man who police say tried to rob the store Thursday night at about 8:16 p.m.

According to a police press release, Ortiz Jose Velazquez, 37, of Chicago, entered the store wearing a gray hoodie with the hood up. He approached an employee sweeping the floor and assaulted the man, wrapping his arm around the man’s throat and choking him. Other store employees emerged from the rear of the store; one employee ran and locked the doors to prevent Velazquez from leaving. The worker Velazquez was choking broke free and another store employee caught and restrained Velazquez until police arrived.

No one was injured in the robbery attempt, though store items were knocked to the floor during the struggle.

Velazquez was taken into custody and questioned at the Bardstown Police Department before he was arrested and charged with attempted robbery, first-degree. He was lodged in the Nelson County Jail.

Officer Jeremy Cauley is handling the investigation. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact Bardstown Police, (502) 348-6811 or Nelson County Dispatch, (502) 348-3211.

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