On January 14, 2011, at 3:21 AM, the Lakeland Police Department responded to a commercial armed robbery in progress at the 7-11 Store, 290 Lakeland Park Drive. The suspect Jonathan Woods entered the store with a pistol grip shotgun and demanded money from the clerk and a customer. The suspect left the store and entered a vehicle driven by his brother, Jared Woods.
An eyewitness outside of the store followed the vehicle and alerted police to its whereabouts. Within one mile of the store, uniform patrol officers pulled the vehicle over at which time both suspects fled on foot. The suspect, Jonathan Woods was observed discarding the shotgun in a row of bushes. Both suspects were apprehended by LPD Police K-9.
Police discovered two passengers in the vehicle and after questioning, the suspect Jessica Lynn Brooks was also charged with Armed Robbery.
The clerk was not injured in the robbery.
- Sgt. Gary Gross
Read copy of media release.
This story sounds interesting, something you read in the paper every day.... but what interests me is the last 8 words, "The clerk was not injured in the robbery".
You see, the clerk is my daughter. I have spent the last day alternately tearing up and being incredibly thankful that the clerk was not injured in the robbery.
I am left with questions though. Why? Was the gun even loaded? How stupid can you be to risk the next ten years for 50-some dollars and a couple packs of cigarettes? Do people even read the signs that say "clerk can not open safe"? Who was the hero that chased the robbers down and alerted the police and therefore insured a happy ending to this story? What kind of deal did the smirking girl work out with the police when she was obviously in on it to begin with? Did the robber really mean it when he pulled the mask down his face and tell the clerk he would pull the trigger?
My daughter, the clerk, is thankfully at home with her husband and 3 year old baby when it could have been much, much worse.
Posted by: Sean Gipson | January 15, 2011 at 10:54 PM