Indiana State Police say a trooper who happened upon an armed robbery at a central Indiana convenience store shot and wounded the fleeing suspect who pointed a gun at him.

ANDERSON, Ind. (WTHR) - An armed robbery suspect almost made a clean getaway if not for an Indiana State trooper who stopped for coffee. The trooper says the suspect pointed a gun at him.

It happened Monday morning at round 8:00 am outside the Rickers gas station on State Road 9 and West 53rd Street in Anderson.

Indiana State Police say 22-year-old Ricky Zimmerman of Pendleton, Indiana robbed the Rickers and had obviously hoped to get away. But the clerk pointed out Zimmerman to an Indiana State trooper who had just stopped to get a coffee.

"He was going through the door. The guy was coming out. When the trooper got inside, the clerk said, 'hey, that guy just displayed a handgun and armed robbed us,'" said Sgt. John Bowling, Indiana State Police.

The trooper ordered Zimmerman to stop. Instead, the suspect reportedly pulled a gun and pointed it at the trooper, who opened fire as Zimmerman sped away. The trooper's gunfire hit the car and struck the 22-year-old in the wrists. Zimmerman struck a passing car and hit the curb before giving up. He was taken to a nearby hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

People living nearby are not surprised about the brazen and bold action against police, but just didn't expect anything like this so close to home.

Alan Crane, an 84-year-old Anderson resident, reflected on the recent violence in the news and how it hit so close to home Monday.

"What's happened in New York and Texas, yes, that's bad. Something has happened in this country because shoot, we didn't even used to lock our doors when I lived on the farm. Of course, I am 84. Yes, It's a little scary. I don't even go out at night."

"I have been a trooper 25 years and you always hope this never happens. But you always know it can happen. The trooper acted to protect his life and the lives of others pumping gas and going in and out of that gas station," said Sgt. Bowling.

State troopers will use video from the gas station as part of their case against Zimmerman. The video shows there were a sizeable number of customers at the gas station when the robbery occurred.



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