Shoplifter shoots at store employee who chased him after theft Shoplifter shoots at store employee who chased him after theft

The theft happened at the Dollar General store in Gray Summit Tuesday around 12:30 p.m.

Assistant store manager Melody Whitley told News 4 the thief set off an alarm when he ran out the back of the store with a basket loaded with laundry detergent.

"I saw him get in his car, he makes black marks and takes a right out of the parking lot here. Right or wrong I get in my car and I go," said Whitley.

Whitley said she chased after the thief in hopes of getting his license plate number but abruptly stopped after he pointed a gun out the window and started shooting at her.

"And he started firing on me, so then common sense told me to back off a little bit," said Whitley.

Franklin County Sheriff Steve Pelton told News 4 the best thing store employees or customers can do if there's a theft is to get as much information as possible about the suspect and call authorities.

Pelton said, "There's a lot of unknowns right now in the society that we live in when you go chasing down after a suspect and I think this is a prime example, with a handgun coming out the window, of things that can go terribly wrong."

The thief is described as a white man who was wearing a red shirt, black jacket, blue jeans and a light blue hat. He was driving a silver Chrysler sedan that had a black top or was a convertible.

Whitley said she's learned he lesson about chasing shoplifters but is it still upset about the theft.

"I don't like thieves, hate them. They're no use," said Whitley.