Suspect fatally shot during Carpentersville store robbery

An armed robbery turned bad for one of three suspects who wound up dead after being shot by an employee armed with a gun, and most of what happened was caught on security video.

It happened in Carpentersville at Oscarin’s Computer store around 7:30 Wednesday night. The owner was inside with one of his employees when two armed men came in and demanded money.

“When they come to the displays, they go faster to my head with a gun, 'Hey put your hands up' and they (put their) hand right here,” said store owner Oscar Torres as he demonstrated how a gun was put to his right temple.

It was a terrifying moment for Torres. He says the suspect got about $16,000 cash from moneygrams, as well as six cell phones worth another $3000.

The gunmen then bound Torres and his employee with plastic zip ties.

“We broke the plastics and when my employee broke the plastics, one guy hit him in the head with a gun,” Torres said.

The robbers then ran outside to a waiting getaway car, but the employee, who has a concealed carry permit and was armed, gave chase.

“Outside he said to the guys, 'hey stop,' when he said stop, those guys tried to take the guns, turned to see my guy and take the gun and my guy opened fire,” Torres said.

“We know that the employee fired, we have not confirmed whether gunfire was actually fired by either of the two offenders on the scene,” said Michael Kilbourne, Carpentersville Police Chief.

An employee at the hair salon next door heard four shots. Torres said his employee fired a total of six shots.

The suspect was wounded and later died.

Torres believes his employee did the right thing under the circumstances.

“When they see my employee, they tried to use their guns, and I think he did the best, the best, at that moment," Torres said.

Police said the employee who fired the shots is being cooperative. It is not clear at this point in the investigation if he will face any charges.

The store will remain closed until Saturday as Torres and the employee recover from the traumatic incident.