Lafayette Police Department
20 N. 6th. Street
Lafayette Indiana 47901
For Immediate Release:
Contact: Lt. T. Perry Amos
765-807-1200
October 10th, 2015
On Saturday night, at 11:02 PM, the Lafayette Police Department was dispatched to the Bar Barry Liquor store at 3000 S 9th. Street for a possible robbery. Dispatch was advised that the store clerk had been battered and that at least one shot had been fired.
When officers arrived, they were advised that four subjects had entered the store and that there then ensued a discussion on whether or not they were of legal age to be in the store. At one point, one of the subjects, a black male approximately 5’9” with a thin build, gave his identification to the clerk to verify his age.
While this discussion was going on, a female customer was waiting to pay for her purchase and had her money already on the counter. This customer saw one of the subjects whom she described as a black male; approximately 6’0” and around 200 lbs. begin to take her money from the counter so she confronted him and stopped him at that time. She then told the clerk that $5 of her money was missing. The clerk then also confronted the subjects about the missing money at that time and advised that he would not return the identification that had been given to him until the money had been returned.
As the argument continued, the larger subject walked behind the counter and began to strike the store clerk, knocking him to the floor. The four subjects that had been involved in the argument and the customer who stated her money had been taken then began to leave the store. The store clerk got up from the floor and pulled a 9mm derringer from his pocket at that time. The clerk and the store manager then began to follow the subjects as they left the building. As the store employees began to exit the door, the clerk was struck by the same subject and was knocked to the ground again. This subject then struck and knocked to the floor the store manager who was on the phone at that time calling the police department.
The store clerk, while on the ground, then fired one shot at the subject as they were again fleeing the store. This round appears to have struck the door frame at that time. The suspect and his three companions then got into a vehicle that had been parked at the curb and began to flee. The clerk crawled out of the door and fired a second shot from a kneeling position at the vehicle the fleeing vehicle as it was leaving. It is unknown at this time if any of the fleeing subjects was struck by the shots that had been fired.
The store manager and clerk were both treated for their injuries at St. Elizabeth Hospital and released to go home.
As of this time, the investigation does not indicate that anything was taken from the store.
Anyone with further information in regards to this investigation is encouraged to contact the Lafayette Police Department or the We-Tip Hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME.
Lieutenant T. Perry Amos
Patrol Division Shift Commander
Lafayette Police Department