SYRACUSE -- Update:
Monday night was slow at Los Amigos grocery store on Syracuse's south side.
At about 8:45, 65 year old Ruben Colon was reading as he sat behind the counter. Colon thought the store was empty but suddenly he felt a knife pushing in his side and a man ordered him to open the cash register. Colon told the man to open it himself.
While the robber took cash from the register, Colon reached under the counter and took out a handgun. When the robber turned back to face Colon, Colon says he told him to drop the knife. Colon then shot the robber in the upper body. The robber then came at Colon and dropped both the cash and the knife.
Colon's wife and son heard the shot and when they came downstairs they saw the two men fighting for control of the gun.
"I just dove for him and my son came in and gave him a big bear hug," said Colon's wife, Marjorie Brown.
The gun went off again in the struggle the suspect was able to escape. Colon and his family were unhurt except for minor bumps and bruises from the struggle. Syracuse Police say they identified the robber and arrested 29 year old Rayshawn Johnson of Syracuse Monday night.
Colon's wife says her husband didn't care about the money, he was standing up to crime.
"They can go to any corner in the city blocks and do whatever they want. This corner is ours and we're not going to let anyone run our corner," said Brown.
Colon was a hero amongst neighbors on Tuesday but he was said the experience wasn't a big deal. He said he didn't want to give in to thieves and pointed out a sign that had been hanging in his store since the early 1990's. The sign has an anti-handgun picture and with "I shoot back" in hand drawn letters added on.
Colon's son said the robber underestimated his father and Colon didn't disagree.
"Like I said - you've got to be quick," said Colon.
After Rayshawn Johnson was treated for his gunshot wound and released from the hospital, he went straight to the Justice Center and was charged with attempted robbery in the first degree and ordered held without bail.
Posted earlier:
The Syracuse Police Department responded to the 200 block of W. Brighton Ave. at about 8:50 PM last night for a report of shots fired.
Upon arrival, police determined that a male suspect attempted to commit an armed robbery at the Los Amigos Grocery store located at 204 W. Brighton Ave.
The suspect, who was reportedly armed with a knife, was shot in the torso by a male working at the store.
The male suspect, later identified as 29 year old Rayshawn Johnson of Syracuse, was transported to Upstate Hospital where he was treated and released with a non life threatening injury.
Johnson was then lodged in the Justice Center and was charged with attempted robbery in the first degree and criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree.
The male who shot Johnson is identified as 65 year old Ruben Colon of Syracuse.
The investigation is continuing and anyone with information is asked to call the Syracuse Police Criminal Investigation Division at 442-5222.
