Two Shot During Convenience Store Robbery In East Chicago
EAST CHICAGO, Ind. (CBS) -- Police in northwest Indiana were hoping surveillance images would help them catch the suspects who shot two convenience store clerks during a robbery this week.
Officers were called to La Hoya convenience store at 4802 Drummond St. in East Chicago shortly before closing at 9 p.m. Tuesday, and found two men had been shot. One man had been shot in the face, the other had been shot in the back of the head.
Police said surveillance video from the store showed two men wearing dark hoodies entered the store, and took the clerk's friend hostage. One of the suspects put a gun to the man's head, and demanded the clerk open the glass barrier surrounding the store counter.
Moments later, the masked gunman shot the hostage, then shot the clerk through the glass.
The victims were taken to a nearby hospital and later airlifted to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, but were expected to survive.
Detectives said it doesn't appear the victims were targeted. The new owners of the store took over about two weeks ago.
Det. Maurice Phillips said it appeared to be a robbery attempt, but the suspects left without taking anything.
Witnesses said another employee in the store hid in the back after the robbers came in.
Detectives were reviewing surveillance video footage from earlier in the day to determine if anyone might have been casing the store before the robbery.