ST. LOUIS — The Shell gas station is near the busy intersection of North Tucker Boulevard and Convention Plaza in the heart of downtown St. Louis.
It's where a 47-year-old security guard was on the job around 2:30 Saturday morning when he got the scare of a lifetime.
Jacqueline Williams is a frequent customer.
"It's just a shame though that people can't even do their jobs these days," said Williams.
The security guard told police three men entered the gas station but were told they couldn't be inside without wearing face masks.
The suspects didn't put on masks and walked out.
Investigators say within moments, they went back into the store and taunted the guard.
The guard says when he told them to leave, the men surrounded him and punched him in his face and head. He also told officers one of the guys grabbed his baton and hit him with it several times.
"You know these people have lost their minds. They don't have any natural affection for anybody. We all know that we got to wear masks. You know it's crazy out here. I mean there's a pandemic going on. It's just a shame that they did that to him," Jacqueline Williams said.
Police say the guard suffered bruises on his head and hand.
"I come up here all the time. The people who run this place and work here are nice people. I thank God the guard was blessed not to be killed," said customer, Ernest Greenlee.
Police say the three suspects kept beating the security guard and when they started pulling things out of his belt, the guard pulled out his gun and shot one of the men. They also say the 27-year-old suspect was dropped off at a hospital with a gunshot wound to his abdomen. He is listed in critical condition.
As of Saturday, police were still looking for the other two men.
"They need to get them off the streets before they do somebody else like that," said Jacqueline Wiilliams.
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