Longtime Oakland employee stops robbery with gun

An employee of an Atwood Street business shot at two juveniles Tuesday after they robbed… An employee of an Atwood Street business shot at two juveniles Tuesday after they robbed the store at gunpoint, according to a city police report.

Bob Tripp, a 77-year-old employee at Mailboxes and More Inc., located at 110 Atwood St., said both suspects entered the store Tuesday afternoon and placed a bag on the counter, demanding him to put money in the bag. One of the robbers pointed a gun at him while he emptied the register, Tripp said.

According to Tripp, After he placed money from the register into the bag, both robbers exited the store and ran down Euler Way, the alley next to the store and adjacent to Atwood Street.

According to Tripp, he followed the robbers for approximately 30 yards down the alley, but said he was far enough behind them that they couldn’t hear him. When the robbers became aware that they were being followed, Tripp said one of the suspects turned around and pointed a gun at him.

Tripp said he feared for his life, so he drew a revolver of his own and shot once at both robbers. According to the police report, the bullet missed both youths, but may have grazed a down jacket worn by one of the robbers, sending feathers into the air.

After the suspect fired back once, both robbers immediately continued to flee down Euler Way and turned the corner, according to Tripp. He said he returned to the store and learned that the police had already been called.

City and Pitt police responded to the call at 12:40 p.m., and apprehended both robbers near Lothrop and Darragh streets about 30 minutes after the shooting, according to the report. The report also stated that police recovered a bag with $150 inside, a .25 caliber semi-automatic handgun and two BB guns that resembled .45 caliber handguns from the suspects.

The youths, whose names were not released because of their age, will be charged with robbery, reckless endangerment, conspiracy and possessing facsimile firearms, according to the report. The report also stated that the youth who pointed the gun at Tripp will also be charged with a firearms violation.

Tripp, who has a permit for his revolver, will probably not face charges, according to the report. Tripp said this was the first time he ever used his gun and the first time Mailboxes was robbed in the three years he has worked there.

Lana Smithbower, owner of Mailboxes, said people had come into and called the store all day Wednesday to applaud Tripp and to commend his courage.

“People who work in Oakland know him,” she said. “He’s been working in this area for a long time, and he’s been working here a few years. They’ve been getting in touch with him all day and saying they heard what he did or saw it on television. People are proud of him.”

Employees at the University Beverage Center and University Pizza, whose store entrances are located near the area of the shooting, said they did not see or hear the shooting Tuesday. But Steve Hunt, owner of University Pizza, said he was proud of Tripp for his efforts.

“He’s getting free lunch for life from us,” he said.