Update: Little Rock Man Arrested in Shooting of E-Z Mart Clerk
By: Lauren Trager, KARK 4 News
Updated: October 17, 2012
Update (October 17):
Little Rock Police have made an arrest in the shooting early Tuesday morning of a convenience store clerk during a robbery attempt.
Larry Ishmon, 21, of Little Rock is charged with attempted capital murder, battery and aggravated robbery in the case.
Police say around 10 o'clock Tuesday night, officers conducted a traffic stop at 24th and Adams after receiving a tip that the suspect from the E-Z Mart incident on Rainwood Road might be in the area. Officers soon after found Ishmon and arrested him.
Original Story (October 16):
Little Rock police are investigating a shooting and attempted robbery at the E-Z Mart on Rainwood Road and Green Mountain Drive.
It happened just after one o'clock Tuesday morning.
Police issued a photo of the man suspected of shooting the clerk in the face and back.
Police believe the victim will be okay.
But there's been a rash of clerks being shot like this and some think something needs to be done to protect convenience store employees and shoppers.
"It's horrible, over $20 you are trying to take someone's life, it's horrible," said Josh Smith.
Smith is usually happy to open the door. An employee of a Little Rock restaurant, he says trouble doesn't often come to this area on Green Mountain Dr.
But early Tuesday morning, he locked the front door after spying someone suspicious hanging around.
"Looked like he was trouble from the get-go," said Smith.
Not half an hour later:
"Cory comes over, obviously he's hurt, I open the door and he proceeds to tell me he's been shot," said Smith.
Cory Brown, described as a loyal and hardworking clerk at the EZ-Mart, had come to his friend for help, terrified for his life.
"He just said he tried to run, and he shot him again in the back," said Smith.
But Brown was blessed to escape with his life.
A woman working at a North Little Rock E-Z Mart was killed in September.
The very same week that a Pine Bluff store clerk was also murdered at a Big Red Food Mart.
"That's horrific, who thinks that they are going to go into the gas station and get killed or shot or that the employees are going to get shot," said Maxim Cabrera, a convenience store shopper.
Shoppers say it's a sad reality. But, some are torn about what more could be done to ensure people's safety.
"What are they going to do? Put plastic around the tellers? I mean, it's getting to a point where it's ridiculous, people will do anything these days," Cabrera said.
Smith says the EZ-Mart should install a bullet-proof sliding drawer in their window.
"This is the only one in town that doesn't have that," said Smith.
His focus now---seeing the shooter brought to justice.
"It's kinda just mind-boggling," Smith said.
E-Z Mart didn't return my attempts to contact them about safety concerns.
The attacker in the case didn't even get the register open.
They say, though, he needs to be considered armed and dangerous. If you know anything, call police right away.
Little Rock Police have made an arrest in the shooting early Tuesday morning of a convenience store clerk during a robbery attempt.
Larry Ishmon, 21, of Little Rock is charged with attempted capital murder, battery and aggravated robbery in the case.
Police say around 10 o'clock Tuesday night, officers conducted a traffic stop at 24th and Adams after receiving a tip that the suspect from the E-Z Mart incident on Rainwood Road might be in the area. Officers soon after found Ishmon and arrested him.
Original Story (October 16):
Little Rock police are investigating a shooting and attempted robbery at the E-Z Mart on Rainwood Road and Green Mountain Drive.
It happened just after one o'clock Tuesday morning.
Police issued a photo of the man suspected of shooting the clerk in the face and back.
Police believe the victim will be okay.
But there's been a rash of clerks being shot like this and some think something needs to be done to protect convenience store employees and shoppers.
"It's horrible, over $20 you are trying to take someone's life, it's horrible," said Josh Smith.
Smith is usually happy to open the door. An employee of a Little Rock restaurant, he says trouble doesn't often come to this area on Green Mountain Dr.
But early Tuesday morning, he locked the front door after spying someone suspicious hanging around.
"Looked like he was trouble from the get-go," said Smith.
Not half an hour later:
"Cory comes over, obviously he's hurt, I open the door and he proceeds to tell me he's been shot," said Smith.
Cory Brown, described as a loyal and hardworking clerk at the EZ-Mart, had come to his friend for help, terrified for his life.
"He just said he tried to run, and he shot him again in the back," said Smith.
But Brown was blessed to escape with his life.
A woman working at a North Little Rock E-Z Mart was killed in September.
The very same week that a Pine Bluff store clerk was also murdered at a Big Red Food Mart.
"That's horrific, who thinks that they are going to go into the gas station and get killed or shot or that the employees are going to get shot," said Maxim Cabrera, a convenience store shopper.
Shoppers say it's a sad reality. But, some are torn about what more could be done to ensure people's safety.
"What are they going to do? Put plastic around the tellers? I mean, it's getting to a point where it's ridiculous, people will do anything these days," Cabrera said.
Smith says the EZ-Mart should install a bullet-proof sliding drawer in their window.
"This is the only one in town that doesn't have that," said Smith.
His focus now---seeing the shooter brought to justice.
"It's kinda just mind-boggling," Smith said.
E-Z Mart didn't return my attempts to contact them about safety concerns.
The attacker in the case didn't even get the register open.
They say, though, he needs to be considered armed and dangerous. If you know anything, call police right away.
Comments
As a former E-Z mart employee, I can tell you they will do as little as possible to protect their employees. The corporate executives are too busy counting their profits to be concerned about their hourly drones.
Someone gets shot? No worries: they'll just hire someone else. That's the way it has always been.
Matt H.
October 17, 2012 at 8:10 am
