14-Year-Old Accused Of Armed Robbery At Phoenix Grocery Store

PHOENIX — A 14-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of attempted armed robbery of a north Phoenix grocery store.

The attempted robbery took place Sunday night at an Albertson's grocery store on Carefree Highway, east of Interstate 17, according to a news release from the Phoenix Police Department.

The boy tried entering the store around 9 p.m. but it was closed to new customers. A handful of customers were still shopping in the store.

Officials said the teen fired a a bullet into a glass door, breaking it, and climbed into the store. He ordered employees and customers to get on the ground and fired another gunshot into the air, police said. The news release said the teen tried but was unable to open cash registers, and fired several gunshots at one of them.

He fled the store in an unknown car before he was stopped in the East Valley by Phoenix and Gilbert police officers.

The boy was arrested and taken to the Maricopa County Juvenile Court Center on suspicion of attempted armed robbery, kidnapping, aggravated assault and endangerment.

The teen will remain unnamed because he is a juvenile, police said.