Houston, United States— Three teenagers walked into a corner store just after 8 p.m. on October 29. One had a handgun. The clerk, a 56-year-old man working alone, was behind the counter. The teens demanded cash. The clerk hesitated. Then one struck him.
Police said the robbery lasted less than a minute. The teens grabbed cash from the register, about $300, and two cartons of cigarettes. They knocked the clerk to the floor. He hit his head on a shelf. They ran out the back door toward an alley.
A customer found him. He called 911. Officers arrived in four minutes. The clerk was bleeding from the head and holding his ribs. Paramedics took him to Memorial Hermann Hospital. He was listed as stable with a concussion and facial injuries. His family was notified at the scene.
The store was sealed. Detectives collected the gunman's description. Black hoodies, masks, sneakers. All three appeared to be 15 to 17 years old. One carried a black backpack. CCTV inside the store captured the entire incident, though faces were covered.
A sergeant said, "This was quick and violent. The clerk did nothing to provoke it. These kids knew what they were doing. They went straight for the register."
The neighborhood canvass started immediately. Officers knocked on doors, asked for Ring camera footage. A nearby gas station had a camera pointing toward the alley. That footage shows three figures running north at 8:07 p.m.
Robberies by juveniles have risen in this precinct. Police logged eight similar holdups in the past two months, often by teens working in groups. Convenience stores with single clerks are targets. Owners have asked for more patrols after dark.
The detective division released stills from the video tonight, with faces blurred, asking for tips. No arrests by midnight. The gun has not been recovered. The store owner said he would close for two days.
Investigators continue to review footage and trace the teens' route out of the area.
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