‘Punk didn’t even have a clip in the gun’: Man turns the tables on attackers, grabbing gun away and pistol-whipping them
An Ohio armed robbery victim turned the tables on his attackers last month, grabbing a gun away and then pistol-whipping them before police arrived, Cleveland.com reported.
Accused gunman Velonte Barnes, 25, of Cleveland Heights approached a 29-year-old shopper a BP convenience store on Monticello Boulevard in South Euclid on the afternoon of July 6, police told the outlet.
Police said the trio began wrestling on the floor, and the victim grabbed the gun from Barnes and used it to pistol-whip both attackers, the outlet noted.
At the beverage cooler, Barnes stuck a gun on the man’s stomach, grabbed the victim’s keys from his pocket, and headed toward the store entrance, Cleveland.com said, citing a police report.
But police said the victim followed Barnes and tried to rip the gun from his hands, the outlet reported, which resulted in a brawl caught on camera.
Police said a second suspect — 35-year-old Leroy Buchanan — entered the store, shoved the victim against a fountain drink dispenser while Barnes knocked the victim into a coffee machine, after which a pot of hot coffee spilled on the victim, Cleveland.com reported.
Police said the trio began wrestling on the floor, and the victim grabbed the gun from Barnes and used it to pistol-whip both attackers, the outlet noted.
Buchanan got back on his feet, chased the victim into a corner, and began punching him, Cleveland.com said, citing authorities.
With that, a third suspect — 33-year-old Sean Buchanan, Leroy’s younger brother — entered the store, shoved the victim against the drink dispenser, and punched the victim’s head and body, the outlet said, citing police.
In addition, Barnes picked up a glass coffee pot and slammed it against the victim’s head, shattering it, police told Cleveland.com.
Authorities said the victim dropped to the floor, and the Buchanans kept beating him, the outlet reported.
After police arrived, the victim told officers he had never seen his attackers before, Cleveland.com said, citing the police report. He added to officers that after he grabbed Barnes’ gun, he realized he couldn’t fire it because it wasn’t loaded, the outlet said.
“The punk didn’t even have a clip in the gun,” the victim added to police, Cleveland.com said, citing their report.
Police said the victim suffered injuries to his face and eyes and a coffee burn to his shoulder, the outlet noted.
Barnes failed to appear for his late-July arraignment after he also was charged with several felonies, including aggravated robbery and felonious assault, Cleveland.com said.
The Buchanans of South Euclid were arrested shortly after the incident, Cleveland.com said.
Police said Leroy Buchanan received head stitches and told officers he was trying to defend his brother and himself, the outlet reported.
The Buchanans were soon arraigned on several felonies, including aggravated robbery and felonious assault, Cleveland.com reported, adding that both brothers pleaded not guilty and were placed on $100,000 bonds.
Last in July, Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Richard Bell put the Buchanan brothers on house arrest with monitoring devices, the outlet reported, adding that Cleveland.com and the Plain Dealer reached out to their attorneys for comment.
Barnes failed to appear for his late-July arraignment after he also was charged with several felonies, including aggravated robbery and felonious assault, Cleveland.com said. Authorities issued a warrant for his arrest, the outlet added.
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