Shopkeeper Who Fought Off Robbers With Bat Put Life 'In Jesus' Hands'
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The courageous Logan Square shopkeeper who fought off a pair of armed robbers with a baseball bat said Tuesday he bears no ill will toward the men who shot him and tried to rob him.
CBS 2's Derrick Blakley reports Luis Quizhpe was still recovering Tuesday from a gunshot wound to his leg suffered in the robbery attempt at his store earlier this month, but there's no doubt he can still handle a bat.
"This was my helper," he said as he held the bat on Tuesday, back at work in his store.
Two weeks ago, all Chicago rallied to his side, when two, gun-wielding robbers entered his Western Avenue sports novelties store, and he fearlessly fought them off with a bat. The robbery attempt was caught on surveillance video.
His brother-in-law helped fight off the robbers, using a stool and a fire extinguisher.
"Well, in the first thing, when they come in … I didn't expect they was coming to do that, you know," Quizhpe said.
He said anger led him to drive away the robbers with the bat. Still, he said he has nothing against them, because they probably needed money to eat, or for drugs.
He's a deeply religious man and said, when he started wielding the bat, he put his life in God's hands.
"When I see the guy with a pistol to my brother-in-law … I put it in Jesus' hands, and said, 'Well, I am yours,'" he added.
The bat Quizhpe used to defend himself is inscribed with a line of scripture from Isaiah: "No weapon forged against you will prevail."
The two robbers fired ten shots, hitting Quizhpe once in the leg. But he said he didn't know he was shot until after the robbers left.
"When I see on the floor, there was all over a lot of blood," he said.
Quizhpe has been inundated with cards, letters, and phone calls wishing him well.
After treatment at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, he's back behind the counter at his shop, his "helper" within reach; happy to be home and happy to be back at his store.
"And with my family, yes, definitely; I am so very happy, yes," he said.
Two men have been arrested in the robbery attempt.
Keith Owens, 51, and Cornell Mack, 53, both have been charged with attempted murder and armed robbery.
Authorities have said Mack was struck by a stray bullet from Owens' gun during the robbery attempt.
