Article content

A Samaritan thwarted an armed robbery in a southeast Calgary convenience store early Saturday by snatching the suspect’s gun away.

But when the robber took off, the witness took the gun and ran in the opposite direction, Calgary police confirmed.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Good Samaritan thwarts Forest Lawn robbery, makes off with the gun Back to video

“We have an offender in custody,” said Det. Travis Ibach.

But neither the witness nor the gun have been found.

The incident happened around 12:20 a.m. on Saturday, when a man in a black ski mask pulled a gun on the cashier at a Forest Lawn 7-Eleven.

Police were immediately called to the scene at 4527 8th Avenue S.E., but the robber might have managed to pull it off if not for one crucial error: he set his gun down on the store’s counter to take the cash handed over by the clerk.

Another man in the 7-Eleven at the time took advantage of the opportunity and snagged the weapon off the counter, turning it on the robber. The suspect fled.

“The witness ran out in the other direction,” said Ibach.

Police found the suspect within half an hour. As of Saturday afternoon, charges were pending against him.

But investigators were unable to find the man who stopped the crime. He continues to roam free, likely with a new, free gun.

emcintosh@postmedia.com