Second Suspect Charged In Store Robbery; Owner Fought Off Gunman With Bat
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A second suspect has been charged in an armed robbery and shooting at a Logan Square store, where the owner and brother-in-law fought off the robbers with a baseball bat, a stool and a fire extinguisher.
Keith Owens, 51, of Richfield, Minn., has been charged with attempted murder and armed robbery in the attack at Quizhpe convenience store in the 2200 block of North Western Avenue last week, police said Wednesday afternoon.
Owens was denied bail during a bond hearing on Wednesday. He was due back in court on April 23.
Last week, another suspect, 53-year-old Cornell Mack, was charged with attempted murder, armed robbery and discharge of a firearm. His bond was set at $750,000 on Thursday.
Mack was shot in the robbery attempt, apparently hit by a stray bullet allegedly fired by Owens.
The store's owner, Luis Quizhpe, also was shot trying to defend his store, fighting off robbers with just a baseball bat.
"He put his hands in God, and that's where he got the strength to fight back," his daughter, Luisa, said.
Police said as many as 10 shots were directed at Quizhpe, but he was hit only once.
The robbers definitely fired multiple times, shattering display cases and leaving behind 10 bullet casings. Quizhpe could have been shot dead but the gunman kept missing, only getting him once in the leg.
"It was some angels that were helping him, because to get shot at [ten] times at close range, and to get hit once ... it's' not luck, it's a miracle," his son, Juan, said.
Surveillance video of the robbery showed one of the robbers holding a gun to the throat of Quizhpe's brother-in-law, Luis Ernesto Aucaquizhpe.
At that point, the gunman apparently shot his accomplice, who limped away from the store.
Quizhpe swung a baseball bat at the robbers, attempting to chase them out of the store. While trying to flee, the gunman realized he needed to be buzzed out to escape, and he and Quizhpe continued sparring.
Quizhpe hit the robber with a bat, then Aucaquizhpe hit him with a stool and eventually a fire extinguisher before it was all over.
