Chicago burglary suspects bolt from convenience store when armed owner returns fire

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Three armed male burglary suspects ran from a convenience store in Chicago when the female store owner returned fire on the men, the business owner told the media. 

“It’s not easy running a business, you know, so I’m really frustrated, and I’m hoping that the police get involved,” the owner of V’s Convenience Store, Vanessa Harris, told ABC Chicago. “I really feel hurt and violated.”

Chicago police reported that at about 4:35 a.m. Thursday, three male suspects shattered a window at the Woodlawn neighborhood business and began taking merchandise. Harris, 40, soon arrived at her business and confronted the trio, before one of the men allegedly pulled out a gun and fired a shot. 

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V’s Convenience Store in Chicago was the target of a burglary last week. (Google Maps )

“I was kinda nervous, thinking like, ‘Are they going to shoot again?'” Harris told the outlet. “But then I realized he did it as a scare shot, and they ran off from the store. I just fired back and two more ran out on foot.”

Harris was not injured during the shootout, and said the suspects quickly took off in a white sedan. She has a concealed carry license and was legally armed during the incident, ABC Chicago reported. 

“The victim, a 40-year-old female, observed the offenders exiting the business and related one of the offenders produced a firearm and opened fire in her direction. The victim related she shot back. The victim was not struck by gunfire, and it does not appear at this time that any of the offenders were struck,” police said in comment provided to Fox News Digital. 

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Woman holds a handgun. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews, FIle)

Harris, however, said she believed she may have hit one of the men during the exchange of fire. 

“I’m pretty for sure I did,” Harris said. “If they didn’t, they was lucky. I gotta do what I gotta do. I mean, unfortunately, this ain’t what I want to do. I don’t want no death on my conscience, but they’re getting ridiculous.”

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The Chicago business owner said 2024 is already off to a rough start with crime, as the store was the scene of another robbery late New Year’s Eve. 

Chicago Police Department vehicle on a city street. (Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

“I’m losing so much being on this corner,” Harris said. “I’m closing up. I got some of my customers complaining now about me closing at 5:30, 6 o’clock, but it’s only due to my safety.”

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Police have not yet arrested any suspects in the case. Area One detectives are investigating the matter, Chicago PD told Fox News Digital.