PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — A robbery inside a women’s clothing store in Center City Philadelphia led to a gunshot being fired Tuesday afternoon, according to police.
It happened around 2 p.m. Tuesday at Brandy Melville, located at 15th and Walnut Streets.
Police say a 41-year-old man entered the store in an attempt to steal items.
The suspect was confronted by a security guard when he reportedly went behind the counter and refused to leave, which led to a physical altercation.
“He just started fighting people for no reason. We were just scared. I have a store full of females, so I had to defend them the best way I possibly could. The main purpose was safety, I had lives at stake,” said Mark Rodriguez, who identified himself as the guard in the store.
Shot fired during robbery at Center City clothing store: Police
According to police, the guard used pepper spray on the man, but it had minimal effect. Rodriguez then fired one gunshot.
“It was a warning shot. It wasn’t a shot directly at anybody,” said Rodriguez.
No one was hit by the bullet, and no injuries were reported.
The suspect was arrested a few blocks away at 15th and Spruce streets. Officers also recovered a pile of clothes.
Richard Williams, who works as a security guard across the street from Brandy Melville, says he encountered the man before the shooting.
“He was agitated, and he also had a large amount of shopping bags, and he was sweating profusely,” said Williams. “I was like, ‘What do you need?’ He said, ‘I need a job.’ And I said, ‘Sir, we’re not hiring right now.'”
Our data journalism team found that retail theft has decreased by about 13% from January to June this year compared to last year.
“It’s an up-and-down situation. With the way the economy is going and everything political now, people are doing anything they can to survive, and retail is the one part that’s catching the brunt of it,” said Rodriguez.
Rodriguez says his goal is to reunite with family after every shift. On Tuesday night, he returned home with a new name.
“He’s a hero. He protected the people in that store,” said Williams.
We reached out to Brandy Melville for comment, but we have not heard back.
The suspect has not been identified.
Anyone with information on this incident is asked to call police at 215-686-TIPS.
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