Police investigates armed robbery on America Street; suspect under guard at GPHC

Police are actively investigating an alleged armed robbery that occurred around 12:26 p.m. on Friday at J’s Outlet, located at the intersection of Avenue of the Republic and America Streets. The incident involved two men, both dressed in blue jumpsuits, one of whom was armed.
Police in a statement said, shortly after the incident, ranks located Elijah Martin, a 23-year-old unemployed resident of C-Field Sophia, Georgetown, at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) with a gunshot wound to his lower abdomen. Martin, who remains silent about his injury, is under police guard at the hospital.
According to reports, a 51-year-old clothes vendor and money changer was stationed at the corner when two men on a red and black XR motorcycle approached from the south when the rider reportedly yelled, “Shoot him and kill him,” prompting the vendor to flee into J’s Outlet. The armed suspect then reportedly pursued him into the store.
Police said while a 33-year-old security guard on duty at the store attempted to intervene by drawing his Glock 17 semi-automatic pistol, the suspect managed to disarm him. Meanwhile, a 29-year-old manager inside the store, also armed with a licensed Glock 17, fired several shots at the suspect, hitting him in the lower abdomen.
Despite being wounded, the suspect fled the scene with the security guard’s firearm, rejoining his accomplice on the motorcycle. The duo then made their escape through the city, eventually turning onto Charlotte Street.
Police processed the scene and recovered four live 9mm rounds, four spent shells, and a silver and black .32 Taurus pistol dropped by the suspect. All items have been sent for ballistic analysis. Surveillance footage from nearby cameras is currently under review. The investigation is ongoing.