A man reported by different outlets to be either an armed citizen with a CCW permit or a plain clothes police officer helped stop a group of illegal immigrants who robbed a jewelry store in a Texas mall recently.
Texas Mall Robbery
The Fox News video above shows seven men—at least some of whom were armed—storm into a jewelry store at La Plaza Mall in McAllen, Texas and announce a robbery last Saturday. Moments later, a local police officer said to be working mall security enters the store with his gun drawn to confront the suspects.
As the police officer moves toward the suspects off camera, a man in a red shirt peers around the store entrance. That man then makes his way into the store with his gun raised at one of the suspects. Behind him, a third man—another officer—shows a badge in his left hand and quickly enters the store along with the second man.
Fox identifies the man in the red shirt as an armed citizen with a concealed carry permit. The Daily Mail report, however, says he is a plain clothes police officer.
Either way, all seven men were taken into custody. It was initially reported that shots were fired during the incident. However, the “shots” were actually the sound of glass display cases being broken by the suspects.
Charges & Immigration Status
KRGV identifies the suspects as Zepeda Abner Posos, 24; Alberto Rafael Barrera, 32; Brayan Oliver Melchor, 23; Javier Leobardo Olvera-Ramirez, 22; Jorge Angel Rodriguez Mejia, 28; Miguel Quintanilla-Cardenas, 26; and Raul Alberto Rangel-Rivera, 43. All seven men were charged with aggravated robbery and given a $200,000 bond as a result of the failed Texas mall robbery.
Five of the men who initially supplied police with false names are being hit with an additional charge of failure to identify. In addition, they were given a $10,000 bond on top of the $200,000.
CBS News reports that the men are Mexican nationals who entered the United States illegally. It is believed they crossed into the country through Reynosa, a Mexican border city. The men are also alleged to have paid $4,500 each in smuggling fees.
