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Citizen with a Concealed Carry Firearms Permit Shoots Armed Robber at the 54 Food Mart in Wesley Chapel

Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco said in a news conference that on Thursday January 26, around 6:30 a.m., a customer was getting a cup of coffee at the 54 Food Mart located at 26556 Wesley Chapel Blvd. when Christopher Lilly, 31, a suspect who lives in the area, entered the store wearing a mask, pointed a gun at the clerk and demanded money. Lilly made the clerk and the citizen go into a cooler.

“They made a decision, ‘We’re going to fight’,” said Nocco about the customer and clerk. The customer had his gun pointed at Lilly as the customer and the clerk walked out of the cooler. The pair wrestled and Lilly wound up on the ground, the gun was no longer in his hand. Lilly reached for his gun and the citizen, who has a Concealed Carry Firearms Permit license, shot the suspect thigh to prevent him from grabbing the gun.

The Pasco Sheriff's Office Deputy arrived on scene as this was still in progress, and subdued the suspect at the front door with the help of several citizens. The suspect was flown to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

“These are two citizens who were in fear for their lives,” said Nocco, who said that the pair knew what they were doing, “I’d rather fight for my life than be a victim.”

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