Video: Tampa jewelry store employee shoots at armed robbery suspects

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Armed robbers target Tampa jewelry store

An armed employee at a Tampa jewelry store opened fire at alleged armed robbers who smashed a display case and sent them running.

The Tampa Police Department is trying to identify and arrest three people involved in an armed robbery Friday afternoon. 

According to police, a gray Nissan Altima with a white paper tag attached was seen driving around the parking lot outside the Liberty Jewelers, located at 1957 W. MLK Boulevard around 1 p.m. 

Video shows a black woman entering the store around 1:21 p.m., walking around for a few minutes, and then leaving.

A woman is seen on video entering the store and moment later exiting and returning with two armed men. Image is courtesy of the Tampa Police Department. 

She is seen on surveillance video returning a few minutes later and holding the door open as two black men entered the store. 

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In the video, a man wearing a black hoodie and armed with a hammer approaches the display case and smashes the glass before grabbing multiple items. 

A man in a hoodie is seen on video smashing a display case at the store. Imae is courtesy of the Tampa Police Department. 

The second man, who police say was armed and wearing a yellow jacket, stayed at the doorway with the female and pointed the gun toward the interior of the store.

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As the armed suspect was pointing the gun toward employees and customers, video shows an armed employee firing a gun at the suspects, causing the trio to flee. 

Video shows a man smashing a display case. Image is courtesy of the Tampa Police Department. 

They left in a car with the tag OTX4425. 

Police say the bullet struck an uninvolved, unoccupied vehicle in the parking lot.

Anyone with information on this incident is asked to contact Tampa police at 813-231-6130 or contact Crimestoppers of Tampa Bay.