Man Shot in Pickup During Attempted Robbery in Overpowered Gunman, Deputies Say

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A 40-year-old man was shot and injured in his pickup Friday morning in Parkland while his young daughter was in the backseat, Pierce County deputies said. Two people tried to rob him with a handgun and an AK-47-style rifle.

A struggle ensued between the victim and the gunman, and, despite being shot, the victim overpowered his attacker and was holding him down on the ground when deputies arrived on the scene, deputies reported. The gunshot victim's injuries were not life-threatening.

The robbery suspects, a 19-year-old man and a teenage girl, possibly 17, were taken into custody. According to a news release from Pierce County Sheriff's Department, they were booked into jail on suspicion of first-degree robbery. The teenager  was also booked for investigation of first-degree assault on a police officer.

While the victim was struggling with the gunman, deputies said, a "Good Samaritan" witnessed what was happening and saw the AK-47-style rifle on the ground. Sheriff's spokesperson Sgt. Darren Moss said the man picked the gun up and got it out of the way, then went to retrieve a first-aid kit. Mos said the witness rendered aid to the victim once the suspects were in custody.

"Big shout-out to that guy for helping out," Moss said.



Deputies responded about 6:15 a.m. to the 500 block of 128th Street South for a report of a shooting. Moss said the man was on his way to work in a blue truck when the attempted robbery occurred. Moss said surveillance video captured the incident, and the 19-year-old man shot the victim through his windshield.

The teenage girl was standing nearby when deputies arrived, and the victim told deputies she had a gun. She was ordered to show her hands, and deputies said she pulled out a gun and pointed it toward deputies. They ordered her to drop the gun, and she complied.

The teenager and the 19-year-old man were then taken into custody.