(UPI) -- An attempted armed robbery and the ensuing standoff in a North Carolina pharmacy ended early Friday morning with the surrender of a gunman and without injury.
Edward Scott Russ, 46, entered a CVS in Belmont shortly before 2 a.m. with an SKS rifle, police said. Russ confronted officers who tried to enter the store, shooting as they tried to convince him to put down the weapon.
Officers returned fire but stopped when they realized three store employees were being held hostage, handling the situation "exactly as they had been trained," said Police Chief Charlie Franklin.
A negotiator contacted Russ and police watched him using the store's surveillance system, and were able to convince him to release the hostages without injury.
Franklin said one man and one woman were released first, then shortly after 4 a.m., allowed the last male hostage to leave the store. Watching the store surveillance, police saw Russ take a number of pills from the store's pharmacy area.
Just before 7 a.m., Russ laid the rifle on the store counter and walked out with his hands up. He "appeared apologetic" and "stated he was sorry," Franklin said.
Specific charges against Russ are still pending, but he does have a prior criminal record.
