Store owner in Shelby shoots suspect in foot during robbery attempt

SHELBY, N.C. — A store owner in Shelby, North Carolina, shot a suspect in the foot during a robbery attempt at his store on Friday night.

The suspect, identified as Nixzon Eduardo Garcia-Carrillo, was armed with a toy gun and was later captured by Cleveland County Sheriff’s deputies after a chase.

“I didn’t wait or nothing. I started shooting,” said the store owner, who requested anonymity.

“It was terrifying moments for me and my family,” said Suri Sarai Ake Pech, the co-owner of the store.

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The incident occurred three weeks after the store was initially robbed, during which $86,000 was taken. The family reported feeling threatened by the robbers.

The store owner had been waiting in the parking lot with a gun since the first robbery, prepared to defend his family and business.

Garcia-Carrillo, a Honduran national with an immigration removal order, faces multiple charges, including attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon, fleeing to elude arrest, and resisting a public officer.

The store owner’s wife expressed concern that if Garcia-Carrillo is deported without facing legal consequences, he might return and pose a threat again.

The family remains worried about another suspect who fled the scene and has not been apprehended.

The store owner’s actions underscore the fear and urgency experienced by the family, as they continue to worry about potential threats.

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