A former Stow gas station employee says he was fired after shooting his gun at suspects during an attempted robbery earlier this week.
Kendrick Watson tells 3News he was working at the Circle K on East Steels Corners Road around 3:30 a.m. Monday when several suspects arrived in two stolen minivans. According to Stow police, one of the minivans rammed into the front of the store multiple times, shattering the glass entrance. Several suspects then got out of the vehicles and approached the store.
“Once they rushed the store, I thought my life and my coworker’s life at the time was in danger, so I opened fire to protect myself and my coworker,” Watson said.
Per police, Watson fired seven shots, causing the suspects to flee. One suspect, Peirion D. Jackson, was arrested, while officials say at least three others escaped. Authorities added that the shots struck one of the suspect vehicles, a gas pump, and a support post for the canopy over the pumps.
Watson says police told him he would not face criminal charges, and the city’s law department also confirmed to 3News he will not be charged. However, Watson claims the incident cost him his job, saying he worked more than 40 hours a week at the Circle K for six years before the company took him off the schedule following this incident.
Natalie Clydesdale reports:
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I would have done the same
you cant defend yourself in the new america!!!! dont you know?
I live right here in the apartments next to this gas station. Never in the 6 years I’ve lived here and known Kendrick did anyone think something like this would happen here. I conceal carry every day everywhere I go, even to take the dogs out (there are coyotes around here sometimes), so it just goes to show that bad things happen and they can happen anytime, anywhere. He was 110% right in what he did, and I’m ecstatic that he’s safe and okay. I am however extremely, furiously pissed off at Circle K for their stupid, illogical, and irrationally made choices of not only firing him, but also their policy of not allowing their workers to exercise their CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT to defend themselves properly. I guarantee these fools would’ve hurt both workers if they got inside and realized people were in fact there. Circle K needs to review and rethink their outdated and ignorant policies.
Robbing circle k for candy cigarettes
You should be able to defend your safety at work like anywhere else. He could be dead right now. Someone hire this man.
Hero in my book
Really do feel for that guy, he was just protecting himself and co worker, but I also understand the no gun policy as him striking a gas pump could of blew the place up, but no job is worth risking your life for🤔😱👍🏼
You did the right thing brother. Circle K would've taken you off the schedule for sure if you were killed by those people.
Everyone seems to have missed the no firearms policy, likely because of insurance. Nobody is saying he did the wrong thing, he just should have better prepared himself to lose his job when he decided to carry. He is now a multimillion dollar liability.
police doing their job upholding gun violence in the community. circle k should withhold his check for breaking company policy and damaging their property. i thought an imminent threat was required? i guess if you're delusional gun enthusiast you can just seek out the confrontation, say you're super-duper scared, and start shooting! lol.
Circle K shame on y'all…
Give that man a better paying job because he DID THE RIGHT THING!
They look at him like he’s a liability. In reality, he should not of fired at all. You want to get into a shootout for circle K? Unless they approached you then it would be different. Either way it’s a sketchy world. Stay safe and stay strapped.!
I would hire him, he's a hero
Pay this man 💪🏽🤞🏼
6 years thats fantastic
This guy is a hero
Corporations are scanless … he was in his right to protect himself n coworker …. people like that dont care they will take you out … they should protect him for protecting the company store n his coworker 🎉🎉🎉🎉 he deserves his job back … keep solid workers hard to find these days 😊
U did the right thing. Fvck Circle K!!
I stand w the clerk! I’m emailing circle k! Stow is mostly safe but is right north of Akron!
How to destroy a business in a week type shit? If the Internet, ie social media, does its thing the company may as well pack it TF up.
So Circle K is willing to put their employees lives in danger, What a shitty company to work for. Sir I hope you.find a much better and much higher paying job, one that puts their employees lives as a priority. These companies have insurance to fix any damage but a life will never be just a fix. Thank you for exposing their policy, I will never stop and get gas at any location again. God bless you and keeping you in my prayers. You deserve a reward not a firing. SMH
Circle K should be ashamed. Let's see how reliable the next hire will be. This man served you for 6 years.
This is why companies have high turnover and lazy employees. They intentionally choose dysfunction.