Gwinnett Police Looking for Armed Robbery Suspect

Gwinnett Police are looking for a suspect who took an employee hostage, held a knife to her throat, threatened to kill her, and tried to rob the Fresh 2 def store in Mall Corners on Pleasant Hill Road in unincorporated Duluth.

The suspect was described by the store owner and the employee as a Hispanic male (5’7,” 120 lbs.) between the ages of 15-20 wearing a hoodie, black pants,  a white T-shirt with the word “Obey” defined in red, and black tennis shoes with white bottoms. He also was carrying a black backpack. He has brown eyes and black hair faded on the sides leaving about two inches on top with gel.

They told police that the knife was long with a serrated edge and brass knuckles for a handle.

The robbery occurred between 6:07 and 6:37 p.m. March 25 at the store located at 2131 Pleasant Hill Road, according to the police incident report.

Employee Linda Yoo said she had been showing the suspect some clothes. After store owner Michelle Coffee walked into the restroom, the suspect grabbed Yoo and put the knife against her throat. In her statement to police, Yoo said the suspect repeatedly threatened to kill her.

The suspect had her tell Coffee to stay in the restroom. Then he instructed Yoo to ask Coffee to come out slowly with her hands up and get down on the floor. He ordered Coffee to tie Yoo up with a curling iron cord that was on the floor. Coffee began to reach for the cord, then stopped and told the suspect she would give him all the money in the register if he wouldn’t hurt Yoo. Coffee stood up and started getting money out of the cash register.

Coffee informed police she fanned the money out in her hand, but then a customer entered the store. She placed the money in her pocket, turned away from the suspect, told the customer the store was closed, and mouthed for him to call 911. As the customer left, he was making a call on his cell phone, she said.

She laid the money on a table in the store.

Another customer started coming into the store, and the suspect took Yoo to the back of the store. Saying "I've gotta go," he asked her to open the rear door, but it was locked and she didn’t have a key. The suspect then began walking toward the front of the store with Yoo, pushed her aside and ran out the front door.

Although the suspect was offered all the money in the cash register, he fled the store without taking anything.

He left behind a drop of blood inside the store and several drops outside. He apparently cut himself on the knife and also bled onto Yoo’s sweatshirt. CSI collected the blood samples for comparison purposes.

Anyone who thinks they know the suspect should call Gwinnett County Police at 770-513-5300, or Crime Stoppers at 404-557-TIPS (8477).