Rx robbery shooting

STANTON When someone decided to pilfer pain pills from Stanton Drug, who knew it would end with a shot in the arm.

John Wilkinson, a 24-year-old Big Spring resident, was shot once in the shoulder Thursday by Stanton Police Chief Michael Adams after a short chase following the robbery.

Wilkinson was treated and released at Midland Memorial Hospital before being transported back to the Martin County Jail. He was being held on an aggravated robbery charge, a first-degree felony.

A release from the Stanton Police Department Thursday night said the shooting happened after a subject wearing black clothes and a mask and carrying what appeared to be a gun robbed the Stanton Drug Store, 201 N. St. Peter St., and then tried to get into a locked car.

When police arrived, a witness said the suspect had gone into a nearby barbershop. Adams went into the barbershop and followed the suspect out another door. Then Adams and Deputy Ashley Borgstedte found the suspect hiding between two buildings.

The release said the suspect was ordered to get on his stomach but made a "sudden aggressive move." That's when Adams fired one shot.

The owner of the drug store, Kyle Kendall, said the suspect got "a very minor flesh wound."

Kendall said the saga began when a man came into the store about 12:30 p.m. The suspect told everyone to get down and to not make any phone calls.

The man then demanded specific drugs from the pharmacy, Kendall said. The man took about 100 narcotic pain pills.

That's when the plan hit a snag.

"Apparently, he locked himself out of his getaway car," Kendall said.

Kendall said the robber never showed a weapon.

"He implied that he had one," Kendall said, noting the man's arm was covered with a jacket.

Kendall said it's been years since the store had been involved in an armed robbery. Thursday's incident was a pain for Kendall, leaving him behind in work. About 3:40 p.m., Kendall said he was still in the process of giving police statements.