A gas station clerk narrowly escaped death after a woman opened fire inside a West Virginia convenience store during a brazen robbery attempt. The entire terrifying encounter was captured on chilling surveillance footage.
The Incident
Rebecca Peterson, 42, of Oceana, walked into a Shell station on Little Coal River Road in Lincoln County just before 4 a.m. on Friday. She approached the counter with a firearm and announced her intention to rob the store. She then fired a shot that struck the wall behind the clerk, Alaa Hammad, who was covering the overnight shift for a friend.
In the chaos, Hammad could be heard crying out, 'Oh, my God!' as the gunshot rang through the small store. Before firing, Peterson even told the clerk her name.
Clerk's Quick Thinking
Investigators say Hammad tried to de-escalate the situation by telling Peterson that the store owner was in a back room counting money. This bold attempt to distract her worked. Peterson moved toward the rear of the store, only to realize no one was there. She then aimed her gun at the security camera and fired another shot, disabling it. This gave Hammad vital seconds to flee and call 911.
'I tried to let her be calm and saw her mentality is not awake,' Hammad later told WCHS, describing his attempt to keep the situation from spiraling further out of control.
Arrest and Charges
Troopers say the suspect then exited the store and fled in a black SUV, heading northbound on US Route 119. However, her escape was short-lived. Law enforcement tracked the vehicle down a short time later and took Peterson into custody. Police recovered a firearm believed to have been used in the incident.
West Virginia State Police confirmed Peterson now faces a string of serious charges, including attempted armed robbery, wanton endangerment, brandishing, assault, and destruction of property.
