A daring escape during a Cleveland robbery attempt is captured on surveillance video, 22 year old Mohammed Abdullah explained how he held-off two armed criminals.
Abdullah told newsnet5.com he had just left his second shift job at the Steelyard Commons Walmart in Cleveland when he was confronted by one man with a gun, the other with a knife.
"Either I'm about to get robbed or killed while I'm on the phone," explained Abdullah. "As I turned around one of them had a gun in his hand, and then they stopped, and the other guy had a knife. They were telling me don't move."
But Cleveland Police say Abdullah kept backing away from his attackers and then finally started running from the scene.
Cleveland Police Sergeant Tom Shoulders explained the robbers are likely targeting second shift workers who are simply trying to make their way home at 11:30 at night.
Shoulders said it's important workers stay aware of their surroundings while they are on foot walking home or making their way to the bus stop.
"You want to get away from them," said Shoulders. "Put distance between them and put yourself out in the open where you draw attention to yourself, then you draw attention to them. So they start thinking, 'hey we got too many eyes on us and we'll get the heck out of here.'"
Abdullah explained why he didn't simply give up his hard earned money at the scene, even after one of the attackers hit him in the face with his gun.
"Either you can be scared or you can toughen up and say, 'you know I'm not just going to stand here and let you take advantage of me," said Abdullah.
"As I was growing up, it's either fight for what you love, or what you have, or what you worked for. Fight for it, don't just let someone take it from you."
Both attackers are still on the loose. Cleveland police are asking anyone with information to contact second district Detective Janet Murphy at 216-623-5218. You can also send an email to jmurphy@city.cleveland.oh.us.
