Peterborough store clerk charged after hitting robbery suspect in head with baseball bat

A convenience store clerk in Peterborough, Ont., faces an assault charge after striking a robbery suspect with a baseball bat late last week.

According to the Peterborough Police Service, around 2:30 a.m. on Jan. 5, officers responded to a robbery reported at a store in the area of King and Bethune streets.

Officers learned a clerk was helping a customer when a man entered the store brandishing a baseball bat and demanding money.

“A struggle ensued and the clerk was struck with the bat before grabbing the bat away from the suspect,” police said.

The suspect fled out of the store. Police say the clerk followed the man outside and then struck him several times with the baseball bat along a nearby sidewalk.

Police on Tuesday reported the man is currently in a Toronto hospital with head injuries. The clerk was treated at the scene by paramedics.

A 37-year-old man was charged with robbery, assault with a weapon and possession of a weapon.

However, police also arrested and charged the 22-year-old clerk from Peterborough with aggravated assault.

He was held in custody and appeared in court in Peterborough on Jan. 6.

Police are also looking to speak to the male customer who was in the store at the time.

Anyone with information can call Peterborough police at 705-876-1122 ext. 555 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at stopcrimehere.ca.

UPDATE: On Tuesday evening, police chief Stuart Betts took to social media to defend the charge against the store clerk. For more, read here.