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Clerk pulls gun, chases robber from store

BURKE COUNTY, N.C. — When a robber pulled a 10-inch knife on a store clerk, the clerk pulled a gun and chased him from the store.

Sheriff’s deputies spent much of Monday afternoon watching the video and trying to identify the robber.

Deputies said the suspect put the knife to the throat of the 63-year-old clerk.

“It was a huge knife, and it was amazing that no one was injured, including the store clerk when he grabbed the knife. I thought he would have cut himself,” said Burke County Sheriff Steve Whisenant.

Deputies said the clerk fought back, chased the robber out of the store and fired three shots at him.

They believe the suspect possibly left in a green Ford Explorer.

Assistant Manager Teresa Huffman is more nervous than ever working behind the counter at the Fast Track in Hildebran but supports what her co-worker did on Sunday night.

“As long as he can protect himself, I'm all for that,” she said. “I think he did the right thing in protecting himself, being as he was alone anyway.”

Eyewitness News asked the sheriff about the clerk's actions.  He said you have a right to protect yourself, your business and your home, but he also said someone else could have been hurt.