“She got to the pepper spray before she got to the register,” owner Francisco Hernandez said of his wife, Norma. “She was very brave.”
One man, dressed in all black, wearing a ski mask and carrying a gun, caught the attention of the employee of a business next to L.A. Boutique and that person called the police.
Police records show they responded within 30 seconds and saw employees of L.A. Boutique running after the fleeing would-be robbers in a southwest direction.
A second man, believed to be acting as a lookout, was wearing a white jacket, white ball cap and black baggy pants.
Police set up a perimeter with a door-to-door search attempting to catch the men who they believed to be on foot. The men are still at large.
The only injury was to the man who was sprayed with the pepper spray, who police said would have inflamed eyes, nasal passage and throat.
Hernandez is offering a $5,000 reward for any information that leads to an arrest.
Temple Police Sgt. Brad Hunt attributes the 911 call for the fast reaction time of the police. He said people need to inform the police about suspicious activity so fewer robberies are successful.
“It gave us a much better chance of catching this in the act,” Hunt said. “Let us know you see something that looks like a robbery about to happen.”
Call 911 or 254-298-5500 to report suspicious activity.
bmcclane@temple-telegram.com
