Raleigh clerk beats robbery suspect with bat

RALEIGH, North Carolina (WTVD) -- A robbery suspect got more than he bargained for when he tried to rob a Raleigh gas station early Tuesday morning.

Around 12:30 a.m., authorities said they were called about a wild encounter between the suspect and a determined clerk at the Circle K in the 2500 block of South Saunders Street.

Police tell ABC11 that the suspect - later identified as 51-year-old William Winston - went into the Circle K, then implied he had a firearm, and robbed the store.

Winston left, but the clerk went after him in the parking lot with a baseball bat.

The clerk reportedly hit Winston in the head and held him until police arrived.

The suspect was taken to WakeMed in stable condition and later released to police. The clerk was not injured and called 911 to report the incident.

In the 911 call, the victim said he locked himself in the bathroom, hiding from the suspect while he called 911.

Police said that the suspect took off with cigarettes and money, and he will be charged with common law robbery.

Authorities said though he implied he had a gun during the robbery, they did not find a weapon.

There were cameras at the gas station, but officials are waiting on the store's manager to find out if the cameras were working.

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