Masked person aimed gun at employee, left with cash register. Suspect’s identify not yet known.

The manager of a cannabis store on the island said his business was robbed over the weekend by an unidentified person.

Dexter Casper Wilks informed the public of the incident on Feb. 8, at Euphorium, posting on the Vashonites Facebook page over the past weekend a description of what happened along with still security camera footage. Wilks said the individual — seen wearing a black-hooded sweatshirt, a mask and blue pants — pointed a gun in a female employee’s face, fired shots into the air and made off with the store’s cash register. No one was hurt during the incident.

“We’re just your neighborhood weed store, we are islanders trying to make ends meet, and this … has got to stop,” Wilks wrote on Facebook. “We treat our store as a safe space for all.”

On Wednesday, the King County Sheriff’s Office — which has assigned a detective to the case — released the Euphorium’s survelance footage of the incident, which confirms Wilks’ account. The video is just over two minutes long, with no sound and faces the glass customer counter the employee was sitting behind and the suspect grabbed the till from.

Sgt. Ryan Abbott, a spokesman for the sheriff’s office, described the suspect as a white male in his 20s, wearing the items of clothing Wilks described. The suspect used a BB or “airsoft” gun and fired shots, Abbott said.

In an interview on Sunday, Wilks acknowledged that he has spoken with the sheriff’s office about the incident, though he noted that has not led him to relax on looking into leads himself.

“The clothes the guy was wearing are fairly identifiable; they’re not super basic. It’s not just a light t-shirt and jeans,” Wilks said. “There are only so many people it could have been. People have contacted me with names. I’m down to when, not if, [they will be found]. If they stay on Vashon, they will be found.”

Wilks was not in the store when the incident happened.

“My first concern was for the safety of Elise and I jetted up there as soon as I could,” said Wilks, referring to an employee, who was seen in the security camera screen shots, adding she handled the incident “like a champ.”

Of the perpetrator, Wilks said, “It’s a shameful act and I hope that justice comes to the person who did this.”

“It wasn’t just a smash and grab; they aimed a gun in my employee’s face and they crossed the line big time, so no forgiveness from me for what comes to them,” he said.

Wilk’s post received more than 100 comments from others on Facebook.

Island resident Breeze Henke posted, “Wow. I hope they catch him. … I’m glad no one was hurt.”

Another Facebook user, Stacey Riata, posted, “That is terrifying. I’m not sure I could’ve kept my cool in that situation.”

Another islander, Zayne Goering, posted, “I really hope they catch the idiot who though they could get away.”

Island resident Donna Botten posted, “Vashon isn’t Vashon anymore.”

Wilks told the newspaper he appreciated the comments from islanders.

“I feel stupendous,” he said. “We are a community store. I’m not just plugging myself here, but that’s what we do — we go above and beyond to help people get what they need. They’re our people; it’s Vashon. They’re showing support and that’s what you do when you live in a place like this.”

Anyone with more information about the case can call the sheriff’s office at 206-296-3311 or or leave an anonymous tip with Crimestoppers at p3tips.com. The case number is C20005102.







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