Three Taco Bell employees — two aged 19 and one aged 23 — fatally shot an armed robber inside a Cleveland, Ohio Taco Bell on Wednesday, according to Cleveland.com.
The three employees, all of which have not yet been identified, were armed with guns and fired them around 2:45 p.m. after two robbers entered the store, forced them to the ground at gunpoint and proceeded to demand money from the cash register, the Daily Mail reports.
The employees fired several shots, shooting the first robber six times, while the second robber escaped, Cleveland.com reports. The Taco Bell employees then called 911 and told operators that shots had been fired, according to the Daily Mail. When the police arrived, they found the first robber unconscious on the group with a gun in his hand. Police reports state that the attempted robber died after being transported via ambulance to MetroHealth.
Meanwhile, the police are still searching for the second robber, Cleveland.com reports.
3 employees at Cleveland Taco Bell fatally shoot would-be robber https://t.co/7lLF5yHBeb pic.twitter.com/yLgmVIVKMN
— WDRB News (@WDRBNews) September 7, 2017
Arthur Giles, the franchise owner of the Taco Bell where the shooting occurred, told the Daily Mail that the employees acted in self-defense and that his franchise is cooperating with the police.
“Everyone at the store is okay, from my understanding,” Giles told Cleveland.com. “All the employees and all the customers are safe.”
Under Ohio state law, while not legally required, business owner are allowed to prohibit individuals with concealed carry licenses from bringing their guns on business property, the Daily Mail reports. It is, however, unknown whether Giles allowed his employees to carry their guns.
“Taco Bell and Sigma Bell, LLC., the franchise owner of this Cleveland, Ohio location, are shocked this happened at the restaurant. Our franchisee is fully cooperating with the Cleveland Police Department in their investigation,” Taco Bell said in a statement. “The employees are very shaken up from today’s events, and our franchisee is offering them counseling.”