Miramar Store Owner Fights Back During Robbery
MIRAMAR (CBSMiami) – A Miramar shop owner turned the tables on a pair of men intent on robbing his store.
Just after 10 a.m. the two men, one armed with a gun, walked into Sam's West Indies Products at 3156 S. University Drive and demanded money from the register. The owner of the shop, Earl Morrison, refused and started to go after one of the men.
"I fought with them, they knocked me out. When I got up I took a couple of shots at them but they ran," said Morrison.
The two men took off with a handful of cash, some of which they dropped in the parking lot as they made their way to a waiting car. They jumped in and the driver hit the gas. The car was described as a newer model burgundy Cadillac.
"What's interesting is that the car had a spare tire on the right front passenger side," said Tania Rues of the Miramar Police Department.
Morrison said when the two men first came into the store, they asked for a certain type of cigar. That's when one of the men hit him on the head.
"I was armed but I didn't want them to know I was armed, but I wasn't about to lay down," said Morrison.
The gunshots were heard round the shopping plaza.
"I heard the gunshots, two or three when I was working. I looked out and saw people running," said Jonathan Rodriguez who works for an automotive store in the plaza. "It's a shame times are hard but you don't have to be robbing and shooting people."
No one is surprised Morrison defended himself.
Ed Barnes said he has known Morrison since they were children growing up in Jamaica. He described Morrison as a hard working industrious man.
"You really have no alternative. There are perpetrators, if you know what you are doing, why not use it," Barnes commented.
Morrison admits the whole incident has left him 'shaken up'. Still he spent Monday afternoon cleaning up his store that was left in disarray when the robbers started looking for cash. He plans to open back up on Tuesday.
Meanwhile Miramar police are reviewing surveillance video of the robbers. They were 'not' disguised. As far as they can tell police say the bleeding gunman hasn't shown up at any area hospitals.
Anyone with information on the men or the car is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (954) 493-TIPS.
