Police are searching for a serial robber who was caught on surveillance video shooting a Good Samaritan in the leg and struggling with a local store owner.
The 45-year-old Good Samaritan, who did not want to be identified, told NBC10 the staff at A&A Grocery on N. Gratz Street have always treated him like family. That’s why he decided to take action when he saw a man threaten the store owner’s college-aged daughter with a gun back on Nov. 4.
“I walked over to him and tapped him and said, ‘My man. My man. Come on.’ He turned around and shot me up,” the Good Samaritan said.
The Good Samaritan was struck once in the right leg and the suspect fled with an unknown amount of cash. The victim was taken to Temple University where he was treated for his injuries.
“God is good and I’m glad to be here,” he said.
The next day the same suspect robbed German Grocery only a few blocks away on N. 16th Street around 3:40 p.m. Less than four hours later he targeted Fontain Deli Market on 16th and Fontain Street where he ran into the Jovanni Cruz, the store's owner.
Cruz was captured on surveillance video fighting the robber over his gun. Cruz managed to pry the weapon out of the suspect’s hands and chase him out of the store.
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“As soon as I turned my reaction was to jump on him,” said Cruz. “God protected me and I was able to take his gun.”
The suspect is described as a thin man with a brown complexion standing between 5-foot-9 and 5-foot-10 with a beard or mustache. During the robbery on Nov. 4 he was wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt underneath a green jacket with black cuffs, a waist band, jeans, black sneakers and a skully.
If you have any information on his identity or whereabouts, please call Philadelphia Police.
