[net knee]

I went to my local Rite Aid yesterday afternoon around 4:30pm. I had two prescriptions that needed to be filled but one was expired so I only got one and kept the other in my hand. I asked the pharmacist to point me in the direction of the neosporin to go spray b/c i need it for my kitty's ear. I found it exactly where she said it would be! So I stood in that isle for about 5-10 minutes trying to get ahold of walmart's pharmacy to see if they had the to go spray in stock since theirs is cheaper and it's been out of stock. I notice this guy seemed to be following me around watching my every move. So of course, being a correctional officer I have a lot of men that do not like me and I also have training to pick up on confrontational behavior and how to spot a situation that is about to get ugly. So i kept an eye on him. I made a mental note of what he looked like and what he was wearing. I notice he had an already opened black garbage bag crumpled up in his hand. Odd to be carrying around in the drug store. So I came to the decision that maybe rite aid thought i was stealing stuff and sent out a "plain clothes employee" to tail me in the store to make sure I wasn't stealing or to deter me if I was thinking about it. So I figured I'd sit down since my back was killing me and I was waiting 30 minutes for my prescription anyways. I sat down and the man walked literally over my feet and opened the door to the back office that said "Employees Only" looked around and then walked away. So I figured he was calling off the sting on me lol. Then he walked around some more- every time I tried making eye contact with him or looked at him he immediately looked down at the floor. This man was wearing a hat and sunglasses in the store and I thought, this guy is acting strange- who wears sunglasses in the store?! And why is he just lingering?! Then I watched him walk over to the prescription pick up area/register and he dropped a note. Thought: who brings a note to the pharmacy?! Next thing i heard was "hurry up hurry up, no problems, hurry up!!". Thought: HOLY SH*T HE'S ROBBING THE PHARMACY!!!
next thing I saw: A GUN!!!!!!!! Instantly I went into emergency management mode: I told the woman sitting next to me to be calm but look at that man and remember EVERYTHING you can about him. He is robbing the pharmacy. She remained calm thank god! He was handed the black garbage bag w/pill bottles in it and w/his gun out turned and walked quickly out of the store!
I dialed 911, i already had it dialed on my cell phone and just waited for him to get far enough away before i hit send so he didn't hear my phone go into "emergency mode". Right before he walked away he said "no phone calls for 10 minutes, I WILL BE BACK!" I told 911 to get here NOW b/c he said he'd be back! Cops were there in less than 2 minutes, thank god! So as far as i know at this time he is still on the run.

I gave the police a very detailed description since i'd been watching him for at least 10-15 minutes as he was following me in the store and acting strange. Hopefully he is caught and prosecuted to the fullest!

He was demanding OxyContin, the popular pain relieving drug used to get high amongst drug addicts in my area.
These people must be stopped! He could have killed someone! Thank God the pharmacy people gave him what he wanted w/no arguments!
I only wish I would have put these behavioral cues together before it got that far! Of course I am also glad I didn't because I would have had NO IDEA he had a gun!
Hind sight is always 20/20 of course but I do wish I could have thought to take a picture of the man while he was robbing them on my cell phone! But he better pray they don't put him in a line up because his face is forever scarred into my mind and I WILL pick him out and I WILL testify against him!
Thank God for everyone making it out of the situation unharmed and for the most part mentally stable. I have not been able to sleep tonight. I have been up all night with the situation running through my mind over and over and his face flashing in my mind! Hopefully exhaustion will kick in and let me sleep and I will be better tomorrow.
Thank God for blessing us all with safety!

[Thighs Be Gone]

wow--so very glad you are okay! what a horrific story..

I am so glad you had the sense to listen to your intuition! So very important. God gave us that for a reason.

Again, sorry for your ordeal and so glad you are okay!

[patcherific]

wow that is some story! thank God everyone is okay.

[ladyrider72472]

You are very blessed that he was not more desperate than he was and decided to start shooting. Great job on getting the mental note on what he looked like and your determination to testify against him. Most importantly thanks for the job you do as a correctional officer and for taking care of the lady next to you by keeping your cool so she would keep hers. You did an excellent job!

[luvja]

That is scary stuff! I would not have been able to handle it so well, especially if I seen a gun! I probably would have started crying lol. Thank heavens no one was hurt. It's sad really, that someone is so desperate for those drugs they resort to those measures. I hope he eventually finds the help he needs.

[L R K]

wow! that is crazy! I would've been freaking out!

[SunshineCA]

Oh wow!!! As others have already stated, I'm glad you and the other customers are okay.

This guy will be caught eventually because of his behavior. Hopefully it'll happen soon!

[Michelle1210]

glad your ok, I use to work for wal-mart and very surprised of the thievery that goes on , on a daily basis.

[GradPhase]

Oh Jeeze!!!!!!!!! Scary stuff!!!!! way to go on keeping cool calm and collected!!!!!! very very admirable!!

[net knee]

Originally Posted by luvja

I probably would have started crying lol... I hope he eventually finds the help he needs.

My adrenaline was pumping so fast at that point my body was shaking. It wasn't until the police came in and I hung up with 911 that I realized I was 100% safe. Then came the tears! It wasn't a 'scared' cry it was a cry of relief! I can't say I wasn't scared... I saw the gun and my heart dropped and I was scared at that point! My body basically went numb and my mind just took over.
Even tho I have tons of anger towards him I hope he gets the help he needs too because he will keep doing this for his fix and he will probably get more violent every time!

They posted a composite sketch of him in our local paper today. It's crazy how close they are!!