A man was released from the hospital Wednesday after being shot in the leg during a caught-on-camera robbery, during which the victims say the robber apologized.
The robber, a man who is still at large and wanted by police, stormed into a family-owned market in Hawthorne and raced behind the counter to steal cash from the register Tuesday evening, according to the Hawthorne Police Department.
Inside the market was the family who owns the store -- a 7-year-old boy, 8-year-old girl, and the children’s mother and uncle.
PHOTOS: Caught on Camera: Top Surveillance Videos of 2013
The man, whose face was partially covered by his black hooded sweatshirt, can be seen pulling out a gun as he passes the children.
"I want the money," the man says.
After entering the store, the man races behind the counter where the 8-year-old girl is standing with her uncle. The man can be seen pointing the gun at all of family members.
News
Top news of the day
The robber rummages through boxes and the cash register, and steals about $500, police said. The gun then fires, shooting the uncle in the leg, but the video doesn’t clearly show the man pointing the gun at him.
The uncle collapses on the floor after the gun apparently goes off.
USDA Suspends Foster Farms Plant Over Cockroaches
Whether it was on purpose or an accident, the woman, who did not want to be identified, says her child could be the one with a gunshot wound.
"I yelled at (my daughter) to sit down," she said. "If it wasn’t for my brother to decide to stand in between both of them, things could have gotten worse."
The mother of the children told NBC4 that the robber was saying "I’m sorry" the entire time he was inside the store.
The woman yelled at the man, "Get what you want and get out"
West LA High-Rise Fire Cause "Undetermined": LAFD
"If the victim weren’t there, we have the potential that a young child was shot in this robbery," Hawthorne Police Lt Gary Tomatani told NBC4. "He did make a mistake, but it’s still a crime and we would like him to turn himself in."
The shooting victim was released from the hospital on Wednesday, and his sister wants the man responsible for her brother’s pain to turn himself in.
"All is forgiven," the woman said. "But at least do the right thing."
