COOK COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTHOUSE — A gunman's attempt to rob a West Town Walgreens on Saturday was foiled by employees who took the assailant down and called authorities, according to a police report.
Benjamin Strong, 21, tried to rob the Walgreens at 2440 W. North Ave. about 12:15 a.m. Saturday, according to police.
Employees think Strong hid inside the store as they locked up for the night, according to an arrest report.
Strong made his way to a storage room and came across a 20-year-old worker, according to the report. He pistol-whipped the employee as he tried to get into an office, according to the report.
A 20-year-old manager saw the worker get hit and tackled Strong, according to a source.
As the manager detained the would-be robber, the injured worker called 911, according to the report.
When cops arrived, they found the employee with blood streaming from his face, according to the report.
"He's robbing us with a gun. He's still inside," the worker told cops, according to the report.
Police went inside and found the manager on top of Strong, the report states. Another employee witnessed the entire incident, according to the report.
A 9-mm handgun with two live rounds was recovered from Strong, according to the report.
The pistol-whipped employee suffered a cut 2 to 3 inches deep on his forehead and required five stiches, the report states. He was treated and released from Norwegian American Hospital.
Strong, of the 3700 block of North Narragansett Avenue, was charged with one count of attempted armed robbery.
He appeared in court Sunday and was ordered held on $275,000 bail by Cook County Judge Laura Sullivan.
