With a would-be robber’s shotgun barrel pointed at his head, a DeKalb County smoke shop employee pulled his own weapon and killed his assailant, police said.
DeKalb police spokesman Capt. Steven Fore said the incident occurred around 1 p.m. Thursday at the Paradise Island Smoke Shop on Snapfinger Road near Lithonia. Two unidentified men entered the store, Fore said, and one asked to see an item on a shelf behind the lone employee present.
While the employee was turned around, the suspect reportedly put a shotgun to the back of his head.
Fore said the employee then “turned around slowly, reached up and grabbed the gun barrel.”
Once the shotgun was pointed away from his head, the employee produced his own firearm and fired several shots at the armed suspect.
“I’m sure it was somewhat of a struggle,” Fore said.
That suspect died at the scene. A second man fled the scene in a white SUV but later turned himself in “after police identified him and contacted him,” Fore said.
No further information was available Thursday afternoon.
Neither suspect’s identity had been released.
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