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Cell Phone Store Reopens After Would-Be Robber Shot And Killed

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - A MetroPCS store where an attempted robber was shot and killed is back open after over a week of being closed for business. The owners tell CBS13 they were just too shaken up over what happened to open any sooner.

The owner carries a handgun on his hip and says he's planning to step up security.

"Somebody takes you to the back, most likely they will shoot you," said the man.

The owner of the Rosemont cell phone store does not want to show his face on camera in fear of retaliation. He tells CBS13 if his employee didn't shoot and kill the man who tried to rob them at gunpoint, the man would have killed him and another employee at the store.

"We don't feel safe, plus there's not enough police," he said.

Derick Hunter, 30, of Citrus Heights to the store in the middle of the afternoon two Sundays ago, jumped over the counter and pointed a gun at the employee in the front of the store, the man says. The suspect led him to the back room where another employee was waiting with a gun. He fired and killed the suspect.

"The robber had a silencer on his gun so he was ready, he would have killed both employees and taken whatever he wanted and never been caught, like same as last time," he said.

The owner believes Hunter also robbed his store back in October.

"The employee recognized the picture on the news and also he had the same gun as last time, with the silencer," he said.

But last time, the employee wasn't armed. The owner says they bought the gun after that happened.

"Last time he was very lucky, he could have shot him and nobody knew. The police never found him," he said.

The owner says they are thankful none of the employees were hurt, but they certainly never wanted anyone to die.

"Nobody has the right to go into your house or to your business and threaten other people's lives," he said.

The owner says they are installing some bulletproof glass inside the store. They also plan to hire an armed guard to patrol the area around the store.

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