YUMA, AZ — Yuma County Sheriff's Office honored a former Marine who stepped into action to stop an armed robbery at a gas station.
Officials say the incident took place during an early morning at a Chevron store in Yuma.
Surveillance video from inside the store shows three people trying to enter the store with their faces covered. One of them is armed with a handgun, pointing the weapon at the cashier.
A customer, who later told officials he served in the United States Marine Corps, immediately steps toward the suspects, disarming one and scaring the other two out of the store.
The Good Samaritan, James Kilcer, said he is a contractor with the Department of Defense, so he is not allowed to carry a gun into work, which is why he was not carrying his gun that morning.
"The situation had to be dealt with, and there was really only one way to deal with it," Kilcer told ABC15. "I picked my target and said that's the one I'm going for and he took an extra step towards me, towards the counter and he was in my reach."
Sheriff Leon Wilmot presented Kilcer the YCSO Citizen’s Valor Award, “For extraordinary heroism and exceptional courage while voluntarily coming to the aid of another citizen during an incident involving criminal activity at extreme, life threatening, personal risk in an attempt to save or protect human life," the department said.
The YCSO Citizen’s Valor Award is the highest award for citizens whose actions warrant recognition.
