Clerk Shot During Robbery Shares Her Story

DENVER (CBS4) - An armed robbery and shot to the arm couldn't keep a video store clerk from getting back to work.

The suspect entered the Video One store on Colfax on Jan. 18. During a struggle the clerk, Alethea Edri, was shot.

Edri talked to CBS4's Dominic Garcia. She told Garcia she wants to get the story out even with the suspect still on the loose.

"It was a 9 mm, it went in right here, and it came out right here in the back," Edri said, pointing out her wound.

Edri said the robbery happened so quick.

"Then the guy said, 'Get on the floor,'" Edri said. "I had my hands up and then he said to empty the register. I threw the bag down as hard as I could and I grabbed the gun and I stepped up, and then he pulled back and fired."

Edri said she felt the robber would have shot her anyway.

"Or maybe the customer would have tried to make a move."

It came down to instinct and the economy.

"We're a small store. I've worked here since May and we can't afford to lose any money."

"We haven't seen this in our 27 years, and it's been an experience," Video One owner Jeff Hahn said.

Hahn has beefed up security. There are surveillance cameras and a mace gun. There are also a few other things, but they want to keep them a secret.