Brave Indian woman store clerk fights off armed robber in US

Armed with just a hammer, an Indian-American woman store clerk bravely fought and chased away a man who tried to rob her store at gunpoint, according to a media report.

Bhumika Patel was behind the cash register at her store in Burke County Georgia when the man, identified by authorities as 17-year-old Christian Dakota Thornton approached the counter and instead of paying for the soda bottle he bought, brandished a gun in Patel's face and demanded that she hand over all the money to him, a report in WRDW-TV Augusta said.

Surveillance video shows that Patel did not hesitate for a moment and took on the robber all by herself.

"I say no I can't. He say I shoot you! I say go ahead. If you want to shoot me, shoot me!" Patel said in the report recounting the incident.

Patel said she slapped the gun off from his hand and after pushing the gun to the side, she clawed at the man's hoodie as he tried to grab the money.

She continues to hit the man and grabbing the cash register drawer, begins beating him over the head.

Then as she got her hands on a hammer, the man fell down and ran out of the store.

Patel said she chased the robber outside the store, hammer still in her hand.

According to the Sheriff's Office, Dakota is charged with Criminal Attempt Armed Robbery, Aggravated Assault, and Possession of a Firearm during a Crime.

Deputies said the Richmond County Sheriff's Office helped arrest Thornton at a home in Richmond County after surveillance video deputies said shows him fight with a woman at the convenience store.

Patel said she did not sustain serious injuries in the fight except for a few scratches.

People in her neighborhood are calling her a hero and praising her for fighting off the man with bravery.

Patel said she preferred to go down fighting the man instead of letting him rob the store and shoot her. 

IMAGE: A screengrab of the woman taking the gun away from the attacker. Photograph: YouTube