Cell phone store clerk with permit to carry shoots robbery suspect in Inver Grove Heights

INVER GROVE HEIGHTS, Minn. (KMSP) - A Cellular Connection store clerk with a permit to carry shot and wounded an armed robbery suspect Thursday morning in Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota. The robbery and shooting were reported at about 11 a.m. at the company's Cahill Avenue location, which is licensed to sell Verizon products.

According to Inver Grove Heights police, the clerk was in the back of the store when they were approached by two men, one whom was armed. While being held at gunpoint, the clerk drew his own gun and shot the suspect.

When the shots were fired, the other suspect fled the scene with some stolen cell phones. He is still on the loose.

The suspect who was shot is currently in custody at Regions Hospital.

Witnesses told Fox 9 they heard "a couple" of gunshots and some other noises. At a nearby dental office, workers thought the recent rain was sending tiles tumbling, but those sounds turned out to be the gunshots from the robbery.

Police do not believe the robbery was random. The incident remains under investigation.

CORRECTION: A previous version of this story misstated that the Cellular Connection store in question was operated by Verizon.