Two shot during robbery attempt

01:28 PM PDT on Thursday, September 29, 2005

KING5.com

TACOMA, Wash. - Two people were taken to a Tacoma hospital Thursday morning after a shooting during a robbery attempt an auto supply store.

Tacoma Police say a man walked into the Schucks Auto Supply store at 72nd and Portland and began putting gasoline into a mini motorcycle on display in the store, apparently intending to drive it off.

A clerk confronted the man, who pulled a gun and attempted to rob the store. A customer then pulled his own gun and told the suspect to drop his gun. Shots were fired and the suspect was hit multiple times.

A store clerk in another area was struck by an errant round. A witness said she was lying down and screaming out in pain. Her wounds were not life-threatening.

KING

Police investigate the shooting at the Schucks Auto Supply store at 72nd and Portland in Tacoma.

As far as the customer shooting at the suspect, Mark Fulghum of the Tacoma Police Department said: "It's a personal call, you got to make the decision on your own. We don't encourage it just because of things like this, the clerk getting hurt," he said.

It's not known if any charges will be filed against the customer or if he had a permit to carry a gun.