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2 Robbery Suspects Shot, Killed Outside Convenience Store In Reading

By Diana Rocco

READING, Pa. (CBS) -- Police are investigating a deadly shooting outside of a convenience store in Reading, Berks County.

Candles burn in front of Krick's Korner Store for two armed robbers killed Monday by a man police are calling a concerned citizen, but neighbors say he's a hero.

"I want to shake his hand when I see him," neighbor Barry Williams said.

At about 2 p.m. Monday afternoon, police say it was caught on tape from inside the store.  Two masked men held the owner at gunpoint with shoppers inside.

"These two men came into the store, guns drawn. Clearly they threatened the owner and terrorized the owner with these guns," Berks County District Attorney John T. Adams said.

The men were leaving with cigarettes, money and lottery tickets when they were confronted by a friend of the store owner who lives nearby. Police say he had been working in the basement when he heard the commotion.

"He told these individuals to stop and 'I'm calling the police' and that's when these individuals drew their guns," Adams said.

The concerned citizen pulled a gun. He is licensed to carry and shot both robbers in the chest, a shooting police say is justified.

"He had no right to shoot either William or Robert," friend Frank Concepcion said.

In disbelief, family members of the robbery suspects identify them as 19-year-old Robert Decarr and 21-year-old William Adina, a father of four.

"I don't understand none of this. If anybody knows Robert he's a hard working kid. He don't steal," Concepcion said.

Police are now looking to see if the men may have been involved in other robberies. Neighbors fond of the store owner tell Eyewitness News this store has been robbed six times in the last couple years.

They deserve what they got. You ask for it, you get it," Williams said.

Candles are still burning outside the store Monday night for these two men who police have not yet identified. But police say they are looking for a third person, a driver they believe may have dropped these two armed robbery suspects off at the store.

Police are asking anyone with information to give them a call. The shooter here will not be charged.

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