BURKE COUNTY, N.C. — A hostage situation at a CVS store was resolved Saturday afternoon, according to the Burke County Sheriff.
The sheriff said Gary Lee Clark, 48, went into the store on US Highway 70 in Rutherford College and took people hostage just before 5:30 p.m. Saturday.
Deputies sent a team in and they were able to use a Taser to take the suspect into custody, the sheriff said. No one was injured.
Eyewitness News reached out to CVS Caremark and spokesman Michael DeAngelis said two pharmacy employees were detained by the suspect. Deputies said another employee was able to get out of the store, but the pharmacy employees were detained by Clark for about an hour.
Deputies said Sunday that Clark threatened to shoot the clerk at the CVS. The pharmacist at the store told customers to run out and lock the door and that's when police came in and shot Clark with a Taser.
Deputies said Clark took painkillers and stuffed $400 from the register into his hat.
After speaking with Clark, deputies said they believe the suspect wanted police to kill him. Authorities said Clark took drugs while in the store and he was armed with a knife.
DeAngelis said no customers were involved in the incident.
They said Clark has been taken to a hospital and an investigator is still on scene. Officials said Clark was charged with three counts of first-degree kidnapping and one count of robbery with a dangerous weapon.
Check back for more updates on this developing story at wsoctv.com.
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