Sandy MaloneLas Vegas, NV – The Asian-American owner of a Las Vegas smoke shop grabbed a knife and stabbed a 17-year-old thief who was trying to rob his business in broad daylight on Wednesday (video below).
The incident occurred at about 3:25 p.m. on Aug. 3 at the Smokestrom Smoke Shop when two men wearing ski masks entered his store while a third man stood at the door, the New York Post reported.
Security video of the incident showed that the store’s owner, 22-year-old Johnny Nguyen, asked the men why they were wearing ski masks.
Then when Nguyen asked them to leave, one of the suspects stole his tip jar off the counter, the New York Post reported.
“I asked them first nicely to leave but the guy took my tip jar, which was fine,” Nguyen said. “When they came back and tried to take some more, that’s when it escalated.”
Video showed that one man grabbed the jar while the other man launched himself over the counter and began grabbing merchandise.
“I was scared for my life,” Nguyen told the New York Post. “When they came in, one of them had a bag in front of him like he had a firearm or something. I didn’t have much time to think. I grabbed my knife right next to the register.”
The surveillance footage showed that Nguyen went after the suspect who had jumped the counter and man fought back.
The store owner stabbed the masked robber seven times in the back, shoulders, and leg.
“Stop, please! I’m dead! I’m dead,” the robber screamed as he slid to the ground, the video showed.
Surveillance video showed the other suspects fled the store and left their partner behind.
“I remember him saying, ‘Please don’t let me die,’” Nguyen told the New York Post. “He said he was sorry. By that point, he took off his mask himself.”
“I was trying to get on the phone with the police when he was trying to talk to me. I just ran and wanted to make sure the police and ambulance would get here on time,” the store owner added.
He said police told him that the thief he’d stabbed was 17 years old, the New York Post reported.
Nguyen said it was an “adrenaline rush and fight or flight even thinking about it now my heart rate is a little bit elevated,” the Daily Mail reported.
He said the suspect kept telling him the robbery “wasn’t my idea” as they waited for the ambulance to arrive.
“I don’t think he planned on getting stabbed that day obviously, but if you try robbing a store you are taking a risk. This is a small business obviously,” Nguyen said.
The would-be robber was transported to the hospital for treatment, the Daily Mail reported.
Officials have not released the juvenile suspect’s identity or any information about his medical condition.
Watch the incident unfold in the video below. WARNING – Graphic Content:
A robber in black bloc was stabbed & subdued by an Asian-American shop keeper wearing flip flops in Las Vegas this week. The robber’s accomplice leaves his friend behind. Police are investigating the robbery & stabbing. pic.twitter.com/EJrF6syO1d
— Andy Ngô 🏳️🌈 (@MrAndyNgo) August 5, 2022
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