Deputies in Union County are investigating an armed robbery of a 9-year-old boy's lemonade stand. It happened Saturday afternoon around 3 p.m. in Monroe.

"Never had an incident like this, never thought this would happen," said the boys father, Philip Smith.

Because who would ever imagine a lemonade stand armed robbery?

Union County deputies responded to the quiet St. John's Forest neighborhood for reports that a teenager walked up to a lemonade stand, stuck a gun to a 9-year-old boy's stomach and demanded money.

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"I think people are capable of a lot of things, but not robbing a child at a lemonade stand, that takes it to a new level," said Tony Underwood with the Union County Sheriff's Office.


"It's pretty low, despicable in my book and I can't believe someone would stoop that low to steal money from him," said the boys father.

The boys father tells FOX 46 Charlotte that the suspect got away with $17.

Nearly every weekend the boy has been setting up his lemonade stand along a round-a-bout in the neighborhood so he could buy a new lawnmower for his other weekend business.

His family is not letting this incident ruin his dream. Less than 24 hours after the robbery, his mom, dad and the 9-year-old boy were out selling lemonade again.

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"We are being resilient and he came out here to sell some lemonade today just to be back at it and taking out time to process everything that happened," said Smith.

Part of that process includes questions from the boy about why the robbery happened.

"We kinda explained it to him that bad things do happen to good people and you never know when it's going to happen to you. You just gotta pray and be glad that he is safe," said Smith.

Investigators said they recovered a metal tin, camo hat and black BB gun in a wooded area near the neighborhood. So far, there aren't any leads on a suspect. They are asking any neighbors who may have security video from outside their home to call the Union County Sheriff's Office.

If anyone has any information you're asked to call Union County Crime Stoppers.