Rock-Throwing Suspect Jailed For Robbing Convenience Store

A man is in jail after police say he robbed a convenience store in East Wenatchee late Tuesday afternoon.

The East Wenatchee Police Department says it happened around 5:45 p.m. when 21-year-old Rusbin Gamez-Rodriguez was caught stealing approximately $40-worth of merchandise from the 7-Eleven store in the 80 block of 9th Street Northeast.

Assistant Chief Erik Hampton says Rodriguez fled the store after being confronted and assaulted a clerk who ran after him.

"The thief (Rodriguez) armed himself with some rocks and began throwing them at the clerk and struck the clerk in the leg with one of the rocks."

Rodriguez managed to get about two blocks away before he was corralled by a group of citizens and arrested by responding officers.

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Hampton says Rodriguez is being charged with robbery instead of theft due to the rock-throwing allegations.

"If you're armed or arm yourself during the commission of a theft then it's considered a robbery. So because he (Rodriguez) armed himself with the rocks and tried to use that when he was fleeing, we are charging him with robbery and not just theft."

Rodriguez is also facing an assault charge and is currently being housed in the Chelan County Regional Justice Center where he's awaiting a court date.

The clerk was treated at the scene for minor injuries and later returned to work.