A Fort Lauderdale business owner intervened in an armed robbery at a Family Dollar store Wednesday night in which the victim was pistol-whipped with a stolen gun and one of two suspects escaped.
Nicolas Deas, 20, of Fort Lauderdale, was arrested on one count each of robbery with a firearm, aggravated assault with intent to commit a felony, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, grand theft of a firearm and carrying a concealed firearm, jail records show.
Deas and another unidentified man approached the Family Dollar in the 1900 block of Northwest Ninth Avenue about 10 p.m. as an employee was shutting the store down for the night, according to a probable cause affidavit. Deas had said he left his cellphone in the store, and the employee opened the door for them, the affidavit said.
Deas then allegedly pulled a gun, which was found to be stolen out of Davie, and pointed it at the employee, demanding money or he would kill him, the affidavit said. The employee took Deas and the second suspect to the store’s safe, where the unidentified suspect put $1,200 into a bag.
The employee had been hit with the gun behind his head and on his elbow, the affidavit said. The witness who intervened told officers he heard a disturbance at the dollar store while he was closing his nearby business for the night, according to the affidavit.
The business owner saw Deas holding a gun and drew his own gun, ordering Deas to drop the weapon and get on the ground, the affidavit said. Deas did as he was ordered, and the business owner kept Deas on the ground until officers arrived.
The victims’ names are redacted in the affidavit.
The second suspect fled on foot, according to the affidavit. It was not clear Friday afternoon if the second suspect has been identified or is currently in custody.
Deas was being held in the Main Jail as of Friday afternoon.