Investigators said Shawn Brown, 20, robbed two cell phone stores within an hour timeframe between 4 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Tuesday.
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The first location was the Metro PCS store on 22nd Street near Somerset Street.
"Calm and dumb," said store employee Dayadara Colon.
That's how Colon described Brown, who employees said enter the store with his face half-covered while flashing a gun.
"We didn't really know what he was doing. Because it's like, if you're going to do something and you're going to get locked up for it, do it the right way," Colon said.
Colon wasn't holding back how she felt after she said Brown made her empty the register and hand over the cash inside.
Would-be thief gets locked in store, tries to shoot his way out
Employees there said even with cameras everywhere, Brown was making small talk, flirting and acting like an unorganized criminal.
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They said, what he didn't know, was that those stores hardly ever carry a lot of cash.
"So it was just like, really a waste of time, like you just got in deep trouble for nothing," said Colon.
Employees said Brown took off with an IPhone 7 and passed over the newer model cell phones.
An hour later, around 5:30 Tuesday, police said Brown robbed the Boost Mobile at 5th and Somerset.
He pulled out a gun demanding money but an employee there told him the cash was outside, so Brown let the employee leave.
That's when the employee locked Brown inside the store.
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Brown tried shooting his way out, but was trapped until police and SWAT rushed in and forced him to surrender.
There are now eight bullet holes in the front door of the store.
Employee Rosanel Castillo said she keeps thinking about how she left just before Brown got there.
"Nervous, it's just nerve-wrecking because it just happened last night," Castillo said.
Brown is facing 18 charges, including recklessly endangering another person, and having a firearm without a license.