New Bedford Store Clerk Stabbed While Fighting Off Robber
NEW BEDFORD (CBS) - A store clerk in New Bedford is recovering from a stab wound after he decided to fight back against a man trying to rob him.
On Monday, 23-year-old Priyank Patel, who had never been in a fight before, was cleaning shelves at the Lucky 7 Grocery when a masked man marched in with a blue canvas bag.
He barked just one word at Patel, "money!"
"I didn't see a weapon, so I just jumped on him," Patel told WBZ-TV's Ken Macleod.
Patel punched the crook. During the ensuing brawl, the bandit stabbed Patel. The entire fight was caught on surveillance video.
WBZ-TV's Ken Macleod reports
Patel didn't realize he was injured until after he called police.
"I hung up. At the same time, blood started dripping my chest," he said.
Both police and Patel's parents are not thrilled with his combative response. They say he's lucky he didn't get killed.
But as a guy who works two jobs to make ends meet, Patel says he'd do the same thing again.
"I think I did good," he laughed.
The robbery was one of 13 in New Bedford this month.
Police aren't sure how many are related.
