Tacoma store owner chases would-be robber away with machete

TACOMA, Wash. — There was an attempted robbery in Tacoma’s Hilltop neighborhood that took a shocking turn on February 5.

Seventy-year-old Naif Qatamin, the owner of Salena One Market, told KIRO 7 that when a man pointed “a small knife” at him while attempting to rob his cash register, Qatamin pulled out a machete, catching the would-be robber off guard and chasing him out of the store.

According to Qatamin, the saga doesn’t end there. On February 6, Tacoma Police Department found the suspect, and according to Qatamin, that suspect was booked and released that same day.

Right after his release, the suspect returned to Salena One Market, threatening to rob and then kill the store owner.

“I said, aren’t you the same guy who tried to rob me? He said yes!” said Qatamin.

He added that instead of pulling out his machete, he pushed the man out this time.

“He stood by the door, and I said, okay, you have to leave now, *boom* I hit him right here, he fell, and those guys ran out, and they kept him down until the police came again,” said Qatamin.

According to Tacoma Police Department and Neif Qatamin, the suspect was arrested again and booked into the Pierce County Jail.

He was charged with felony harassment and robbery in the first degree.

We reached out to the Tacoma Police Department to obtain the name of this individual and see if he is still in jail, but we have yet to hear back.

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