PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The instincts of a retired cop kicked in when he saw an apparent robbery go down at a gas station in Coatesville. Everyone is safe except for the alleged robber, who is hospitalized after he was shot five times.
When the retired officer drove up to the Turkey Hill gas station on East Lincoln Highway at midnight Tuesday to pick up a friend who was just getting off work, he saw a man peering into the store, look around, then walk in waiving a gun at two workers' heads.
According to detectives who questioned the workers, they were behind the counter when a man came in, pointing a gun at their heads. They say he "demanded money from the cash register," adding "fill it with the change, too." Then, they say he reached around inside the counter to grab packs of cigarettes.
Described in the police report as "Witness No 1," the retired officer told responding officers that when he saw the man rifling through the cash register, he broke into action, entered the store and shot the man. The entire incident was captured on video.
The alleged robber, 33-year-old Lawrence Galloway, was hit several times. He survived and now faces armed robbery and other charges.
Police say the defendant is not permitted to have a gun, but he was carrying a 9mm semi-automatic, reported stolen out of Downingtown in 2016.
The retired officer had a valid permit to carry his weapon.
