Submitted by Fox First at Ten on December 21st
SPOKANE, Wash. - Police have arrested at 25-year-old man after they say he robbed the Walgreen's at Division and Empire early Friday morning.
Here is the full Press Release from the Spokane Police Department: Spokane Police Arrest Walgreen's Robbery Suspect Spokane Police Officers responded to a report of an Armed Robbery at the Walgreens on N. Division. Minutes later, they had the suspect in custody.
On December 21, 2012, at approximately 12:50 am, the Spokane Police Department received a report of an armed robbery that has just occurred at the Walgreens at Empire and Division. The clerk stated that she observed the male suspect enter the store, steal several items, then leave out the main door. When the clerk confronted the suspect, he pulled out a knife and threatened her with it. To defend herself, the clerk actually punched the suspect in the face, knocking him down to the ground where he dropped his knife. The clerk then took the knife and the suspect, now seeing her armed with his own weapon, ran away south bound. One of the items reported stolen was a black stocking cap with tassels.
Multiple Spokane Police Officers responded and set up a containment perimeter around the area for a Police K-9 track of the suspect. Officer Lance Fairbanks was responding into the area when he spotted a subject wearing a stocking cap with tassels in the E. 200 block of Glass. This person was detained. The clerk was brought to this scene and she identified him as the suspect.
Arrested for First Degree Robbery was Richard D. Edmonds, a 25 year old male from Spokane. All evidence from the robbery was recovered. Edmonds was booked into the Spokane County Jail on his charge.
The Spokane Police Department generally recommends for citizens to not confront someone armed with a weapon. In this case, because of the suspect's close proximity to her, the clerk reacted out of self defense to protect herself.
