Female Store Clerk Grabs Male Robber's Large Knife and Chases Him Away
She says she didn’t have time to think, just to act.
A young store clerk fought back against a would-be thief who brandished a knife and threatened to kill her, chasing him away. Sayda Ventura, 26, was working alone at a market in Westlake, Los Angeles, when the suspect entered the store and pulled out a several-inches long blade.
The clerk says the man came in to buy something and then got behind the counter when she was giving him his change. The incident was caught on camera—here's what the security footage showed.
Saving Up For College
Ventura was working her new job at Amaya's Mini Market in Westlake on Thursday, February 9, when the incident took place. She recently took the job as a way to help save for her college plans to become a nursing assistant. Security cameras captured a man wearing a black face mask and red baseball cap walking up to the counter, seemingly just another customer.
Threatened With a Large Knife
Ventura says the man was pretending to buy deodorant. When she handed him his cash, he came behind the counter, took out a big knife, and held it to her torso. "Don't say nothing, don't move because I'm killing you if you say something," the man allegedly told Ventura. "It's really [scary]," she later said. "I think all people [are scared] when [seeing] knives or guns or something like that."
Ventura Fights Back
Instead of complying with the suspect's wishes, Ventura did something that could be considered both brave and crazy: She grabbed the knife with both hands and yanked it from the man, screaming as she pulled it from his grip. Ventura then chased the man as he ran out of the store, screaming, "I'm killing you if you come back."
Store Owner Says the Attacker Was After Cash
According to store owner Rene Amaya, the man came in earlier and saw a large cash wire transaction take place. He then returned to the store with the knife. "He wanted to get all the money because it was a huge amount of money we were transferring," she said. The suspect is still on the run, but police are looking for him.
Recovering From Injuries
Ventura says she still has cuts on her hands from the incident. She insists she is ok but wants the man to face justice for his actions. "I'm angry with him," she said. "I want to find him." Meanwhile, her boss is thankful the situation wasn't worse. "She's safe. That's the most important thing." RELATED: Idaho Murder Suspect: Newest Revelations as Case Continues
