A Pennsylvania store owner narrowly escaped death Saturday after reportedly being shot in the face by a man who used his own gun against him.
According to the Delco Times, Upper Darby police arrested Pablo Quintanilla, 24, Monday for allegedly shooting at the 57-year-old owner of Aaron Beer Distributor four times after he confronted him about stealing beer. Hours earlier, Quintanilla allegedly entered the store and stole three beers before returning that evening.
Surveillance cameras Quintanilla and the owner near the counter as the owner accuses him of stealing beer. Though the footage doesn’t include audio, the owner can be seen brandishing his legally-owned .38-caliber revolver and hitting Quintanilla over the head, leading to a scuffle.
Police say the owner’s gun fell out of the waistband during the scuffle, leading Quintanilla to retrieve it and shoot at the owner four times before fleeing the store.
WCAU reported that the owner was wounded three times: once in the face, once in the arm and once in the chest area. The bullet that pierced his chest missed his heart; the bullet that entered through his face remains lodged in his neck, police said. Despite this, the owner is reportedly being hospitalized in stable condition
Local police released the footage, leading to tips that resulted in Quintanilla’s arrest. A car was reportedly heading to Quintanilla to take him to New York at the time of his arrest.
Quintanilla, an undocumented immigrant from Honduras, is charged with criminal attempted murder, aggravated assault, simple assault, and several firearms violations. Upper Darby Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood said Upper Darby police have notified federal authorities about this case.
“The victim is lucky to be alive,” Chitwood told the Delco Times. “It’s not like (Quintanilla) accidentally shot him, he point-blank picked up the gun and shot him.”
[Featured Image: Upper Darby police]