The search continues for three suspects after an armed robbery in Lincoln County led to an Elsberry vape store employee being shot, as confirmed by local authorities.
The incident occurred at AI Vape Studio, where according to owner Stephen Gore, a local business entrepreneur determined to enrich his hometown, "Three armed assailants came rushing through the door, one immediately came to the employee on the couch without getting too graphic, grabbed a pillow, put it over her head and held her at gunpoint," which resulted in one employee being shot, this series of events unfolding the day after Christmas, around seven in the evening, KSDK reported.
Despite the chaos, the employee who was shot managed to act heroically. "I look at it, he's the hero in the situation, he did scare them off and he reacted really well after getting shot. He ran out here, locked the door and consoled the other employee" Gore told KSDK. The suspects fled the scene before authorities arrived, and the injured employee, whose condition was stabilized, has since been released from the hospital, as conveyed by MSN.
Lincoln County Sheriff Rick Harrell suggests the robbery did not go as planned saying, "Yes," when asked if he thinks something went wrong during the attempt, Gore speculates that the targets may have been cash and vape products given their high resale value, and local law enforcement, dealing with high stakes in a community they believe to be close-knit and small, are urging, If you know something, say something, according to FOX2now.
In the aftermath, Gore intends to increase security measures at the vape store by installing extra cameras while remaining optimistic about the community's support, "We appreciate all the support we have had and hopefully we continue getting that support," he voiced gratitude for the locals as mentioned on KSDK, emphasizing the importance of continued patronage for small businesses like his in times of hardship; information can be reported to the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office tip line at 636-462-6513, with a reward being considered for any details leading to the arrest of the perpetrators.
