INDIAN RIVER COUNTY −A Wabasso store employee fired warning shots at a “heavily intoxicated” man with a gun who threatened customers inside and outside the business, law enforcement officials said.
Deputies were called to Wabasso Foods in the 6300 block of 85th Street east of 66th Ave around 3:30 p.m. Oct. 3, according to Indian River County Sheriff’s Office officials.
A 62-year-old Wabasso area resident traveled to the store on a bicycle and while in the parking lot of the convenience store he “threatened a lady … (saying) he was going to kill her,” said Lt. Kevin Jaworski.
The woman fled and the man continued into the store demanding everyone inside the building to leave, Jaworski said.
“The employee pushed him outside,” he said. “She told him to drop the gun, at which point she fired off two rounds (into the air), basically a warning shot to get him to drop the gun.”
A school resource deputy returning home from a work shift heard about the incident over dispatch radios and was first to arrive, Jaworski said.
The woman took the man’s weapon, which was said to be a handgun.
“When the first deputy arrived on scene he was on his knees with his hands in the air,” Jaworski said.
Deputies ordered him to lie down but he said the man refused.
“Another patron of the store actually walked up and kicked him and put him on his stomach,” he said.
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Calvert Allen was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, possession of a firearm by a felon and exhibition of a weapon in public.
The employee, Jaworski said, acted in self-defense, and was, “well (within) her rights to protect herself.”
Capt. Joe Abollo said those at the store knew Allen and described his recent behavior as unstable.
There were no injuries reported by those involved in the incident. Jaworski said given the time of day in which the incident occurred, there had been no threat to a nearby preschool and daycare.
Corey Arwood is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow Corey on Twitter @coreyarwood, or reach him by phone at 772-978-2246.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Man with gun threatens customers inside, outside Wabasso convenience store
Reporting by Corey Arwood, Treasure Coast Newspapers / Treasure Coast Newspapers
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