An eight-year-old boy in Florida was caught on camera entering a grocery store with a gun and demanding money from employees.
The unidentified child entered King Foods and Meat Bazaar in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Feb. 3.
According to a clerk who works at the store, the boy seemed very “confident” in his actions.
“He was wearing like a motorcycle helmet and he was wearing a sweater over his mouth. He was only showing his eyes,” said the clerk, who asked to remain anonymous, to WPTV News.
“I’m so shocked. I don’t know if it’s a real gun or if it’s a fake gun, but my priority is to take it away from him because I don’t know,” the clerk continued.
The worker said he and an employee managed to get the firearm out of the eight-year-old’s hand and prevented him from escaping.
“I just turned his wrist and took it out from his hand. At that point, another co-worker of mine grabbed him,” the clerk told WPTV.
Officials say the boy stole the gun from his mother and that he was being hospitalized for his own “well-being,” but is now at a youth detention centre.
“I feel like you have to be careful with everybody nowadays. You can never be too careful,” the employee said to WPTV.
Police say the boy was originally charged with attempted armed robbery with a firearm and aggravated assault. However, the state has decided not to press any charges.
The child must stay away from the grocery store and attend a diversion program or else Florida may reinstate the charges.