Armed gas station guard fires shot after being threatened at Philadelphia gas station: Police

A man threw a softball-size concrete rock at the guard, who then fired.

6abc Digital Staff Image
Tuesday, September 19, 2023
Armed gas station guard fires shot after being threatened: Police

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- An altercation at a North Philadelphia gas station ended with an armed security guard firing a gunshot.

It happened at the KARCO gas station at Broad and Clearfield streets around 5 p.m. Monday.

Police say a 39-year-old man approached the security guard with a large concrete rock about the size of a softball.

"They were involved in some sort of verbal altercation, and that's when the 39-year-old male - who was holding the rock - threw it at the security guard," said Chief Inspector Scott Small.

The guard then fired one shot, Small said, but no one was hit. The guard was not hit by the rock.

Police arrested the rock thrower for simple assault and reckless endangerment.

They add both that man and the security guard are cooperating.

Action News reported back in December that the owner of KARCO gas stations had hired armed guards to protect his business.

Neil Patel hired armed agents to patrol his gas station three weeks ago, and now he has a daily armed presence nightly in Philadelphia.

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