Clerk Used an Unorthodox Weapon to Fight Off Armed Robbers — and It Actually Worked

A Massachusetts store clerk used an unorthodox item as a weapon to tame a pair of would-be robbers Saturday night: chili powder.

According to WFXT-TV, authorities said Brett Osgood, 25, visited the "C Store" convenience shop to purchase a $2.00 lottery ticket. After leaving, the 25-year-old soon returned with a man in his 40s to redeem the ticket.

Saadat Khan fought off a pair of would-be robbers using chili powder Saturday night. (Image source: WFXT)

That's when police say the duo tried to rob clerk Saadat Khan.

When Khan opened his register, one of the two took out a firearm and demanded he give them the cash in the register. The store clerk refused.

"I closed the register. I said, 'This is your $2. You want, it come behind the counter.' I threw it on the floor," Khan told WFXT.

[sharequote align="center"]"I closed the register. I said, 'This is your $2. You want, it come behind the counter.'"[/sharequote]

The clerk was then hit several times as the duo unsuccessfully attempted to open the register and lottery ticket dispenser, police said. Khan struggled to fight them off until he employed a pac of chili powder as a weapon.

Image source: WFXT

After he threw the pepper in their faces, the suspects apparently had trouble continuing the fight and fled the scene.

"They were confused completely after that," Khan told WFXT. "They had no idea what that was."

Khan chased them and was able to get their vehicle's license plate number, police said.

The store clerk identified Osgood, who was charged with attempt to commit armed robbery and was scheduled to be arraigned earlier this week, WFXT reported. Authorities are still looking for the second suspect.

"The clerk in this situation showed incredible bravery, but we would, of course, never recommend that someone try to fight off a robber who is pointing a gun at you," Stoneham Police Department Chief James McIntyre said in a statement. "We are pleased that no one was seriously hurt."

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