Concealed Carry Stops Armed Robbery

Concealed carry stops armed robbery at Dollar General

Mocksville, NC – A customer at the Dollar General, armed with his legal concealed carry weapon, effectively thwarted an armed robbery on Thursday. The suspect, Derrick Jewone Blackwell Jr., 20, was caught off guard in the middle of robbing a store full of people who he believed to be helpless victims. Little did he know that he was walking by a law abiding, gun toting citizen who refused to become a victim.

Enterprise Record of Davie County reports:

Video surveillance shows Blackwell entering the store at about 2:20 p.m. He made his way to the back where he produced a knife and held the store manager and another employee hostage, said Mocksville Police Lt. Det. P.A. Reagan. The suspect demanded money, and repeatedly put the knife to the neck of the manager.

He led the employees to the front, passing by a customer who was shopping. When the three arrived at the cash registers, the manager opened the cash drawer and handed the money to the suspect, who was still wielding the knife. When he turned to leave, the suspect was surprised by that same customer, who was standing between him and the exit with his licensed handgun drawn and pointed right at him, Reagan said. All of the stolen money and items went flying. The suspect went to the floor.

While employees were calling 911, the suspect got up and ran down one of the aisles, with the customer running behind him. Blackwell made it outside, and after a brief chase and hunt by Mocksville police and the Davie County Sheriff’s Department, was apprehended.

Police Chief Todd Penley praised the customer.

“The actions of this individual ultimately prevented additional injury and loss of property,” Penley said. “The Mocksville Police Department supports all our legal concealed weapon holders and appreciates their eagerness, but we caution everyone to make sure they consider their safety before taking any actions.”

Blackwell was booked on charges of armed robbery, multiple counts of assault with deadly weapon, and kidnapping.

There’s nothing better than seeing a predator stopped in his tracks. If this hero hadn’t been carrying his weapon, Blackwell may have gone on to hurt somebody else.