Surveillance video shows gas station robbery, 15-year-old innocent bystander shot
MOBILE, Ala. (WPMI) — MOBILE, Ala. (WPMI) In surveillance video provided to NBC 15 News by the Riverside Food Mart gas station on Riverside Drive, you see a man in a gray hoodie burst through the front door and frantically point a gun at a clerk's face. It was around 7:45 p.m.
The clerk puts his hands in the air then starts handing over money from the register.
That's when another clerk grabs a gun and fires a shot at the suspect. Police later arrested and identified the robbery suspect as 26-year-old Joseph Soutullo.
"The second clerk freaked out and felt scared for his life and the other clerk's life and he pulled the gun. But he hesitated to shoot robber, but when robber turned around he fired a shot but he miss him," said the store owner.
According to police, the bullet missed Soutullo and struck a 15-year-old girl.
"Me and my brother-in-law had gotten out of the car and we were actually going inside to get a drink and when we went to go in we saw the robber holding up a gun, so we closed the door slowly. So he (my brother) turned around and started running and I started running and I got one or two steps and I felt it, felt it go off. It hit me but adrenaline was rushing so when I got in the car I said I think I was shot. And when I pulled up my shirt I seen it," said 15-year-old Savannah Burke.
She was shot in her side abdomen, but was released from the hospital the next day. Miraculously, she's able to walk and move around, but is still in pain.
We asked Chief Lawrence Battiste if there's any chance the clerk could face charges.
"It's one of those things that will always be presented to a grand jury because ultimately they'll be responsible for prosecution so we won't make that decision we'll give them the facts," said the Chief.
And as Soutullo was running out of the store, police say a man driving away from the scene took matters into his own hands, grabbed a gun and also fired a shot at the suspect. Only he missed too, and that bullet ended up inside the living room of a home nearby.
"We heard a shatter and gunfire so we got up, walked to the living room and I noticed my door had shattered. And we turned the light on and the TV had a bullet hole in it," said the homeowner.
"Be mindful of the fact that when you fire a weapon, even in say defense of your property, if someone is an innocent bystander you could possibly be charged for reckless behavior in a situation like this," said Chief Battiste.
Shortly after the robbery, police say they found Joseph Soutullo hiding in a wooded area across from the gas station.
Tonight, he's still in jail and charged with robbery 1st.
Police say they don't know who the man is that fired at the suspect from his car.
Investigators are still trying to figure out whether the robber fired any shots.