Shoe Store Manager Helps Foil Robbery

A 24-year-old athletic shoe store assistant manager foiled a robbery by gang members Wednesday when he disarmed one gunman and shot and wounded two other fleeing accomplices, authorities said Thursday.

Deion Davis was on duty at 8:45 p.m. when five robbers--one armed with a shotgun--entered the Foot Locker store on Sherman Way in Reseda and confronted employees and two customers, police said. The gunman, identified as a 17-year-old male, held off the employees and customers while the other accomplices took shoes, L.A. Raiders and L.A. Kings jackets and other clothing from the store and put them in a vehicle driven by Jose Hernandez, police said.

One of the robbers, Marlene Martinez, 20, accidentally bumped into the gunman when she returned, police said. Davis then wrestled the weapon away from the gunman and hit him in the head.

Police said Davis chased the others to the waiting getaway car. As the car pulled away, Hernandez pointed a handgun at Davis. Davis fired the shotgun and struck Martinez in the upper torso.

The vehicle ran off the road at a nearby used-car lot. As Hernandez got out of the car and again pointed a gun at Davis, Davis fired the shotgun and hit Hernandez in the arm, police said.

Two off-duty Police Department civilian employees who were eating nearby arrested four of the suspects, police said. Hernandez was arrested a short time later when he sought treatment at Granada Hills Community Hospital. The five were booked on a variety of charges and held in lieu of bail of between $20,000 and $35,000.

Martinez was taken to Northridge Hospital Medical Center, where she was listed in critical condition.

The stolen merchandise, valued at nearly $4,500, was recovered.