‘Marine Corps taught me not to [mess] around’: Veteran disarms robber during stick up at convenience store
by Caitlin Doornbos
• Stars and Stripes • October 21, 2021
WASHINGTON — A Marine Corps veteran is being heralded in Yuma, Ariz., for his quick reaction in disarming a would-be robber Wednesday at a gas station convenience store, according to the Yuma County Sheriff’s Office.
James Kilcer’s heroics were captured in eight seconds of surveillance footage that show him standing with his back to the store’s front door as two masked men — one with a handgun and another with a bag — enter the store. The armed robber immediately pointed the gun directly at Kilcer, who turned to see the two men.
The armed robber then turned the gun toward the cashier. That’s when Kilcer quickly acted, grabbing the handgun. He then wrestled the robber to the ground and out of the camera’s view. He also hit the man in the face with a bag of drinks, The Associated Press reported Friday.
“I guess I was just in the right place at the right time,” Kilcer said, according to the Yuma Sun. “I was doing what needed to be done.”
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