‘Heroic’ man stops guy in Transformers mask robbing Fresno Starbucks

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FRESNO, California (CBS47) Dramatic video released by Fresno Police shows a customer step in to stop a robbery at a Fresno Starbucks Thursday night.

The customer – and the suspect – were sent to the hospital.

Investigators believe the video shows a hero taking down a man who will soon be facing many felony charges.

58-year-old Cregg Jerri was enjoying his Starbucks order and working on an iPad at 5:30 p.m. at the Starbucks store on Golden State Boulevard near Herndon Avenue and Highway 99 in Fresno.

Suddenly a man holding a yellow bag wearing an Optimus Prime Transformers mask flashes by and heads to the register.

Jerri watched as the man threatened the clerk with a fake gun and eventually a buck knife demanding money.

Police investigators say the man in the mask is 30-year-old Ryan Michael Flores, and what Flores didn’t realize is Jerri made up his mind. With a chair in hand, he planned to stop the robbery attempt.

Jerri hit Flores from behind and a fight ensued. Investigators say Jerri was stabbed in the neck during the struggle, but he managed to wrestle away the knife and stab Flores several times. Flores would flee the store and was later arrest by police.

“There’s probably not very many people in America who would do what Cregg Jerri did last night,” Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer said. “It was incredibly heroic and the way most people would think that they would respond but may not have the courage to respond.”

Police officials said Jerri did need six staples in his neck to mend the stab wound he suffered, but he is resting and is expected to make a full recovery.

At last check, Flores was in critical, but stable condition. Once he exits the hospital, Fresno Police said he’ll be heading straight to jail.

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