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Police: Robber Gets Fist In Face From Pharmacist
Police Say Donald White Tried To Rob Drugstore With Box Cutter
January 12, 2012
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa -- Council Bluffs police said a blade-wielding, would-be robber picked the wrong drugstore to hold up. He ended up getting a fist in the face from the pharmacist.
Pharmacist Bill Shipley encountered a man wearing a black stocking over his head on Wednesday morning.
"At first, I thought it was the delivery man delivering our medications that we get every morning," said Shipley.
Shipley, who works at Union Pharmacy, said the man told him he had a gun and demanded hydromorphone.
"It's a pain medication," said Shipley. "If you abuse it, you can get high similar to Oxycontin or morphine."
Shipley, who's no stranger to pain after playing rugby for years, took the situation into his own hands.
"I started moving toward him and
I could see he had an orange box cutter in his hand, so then I just punched him in the face," he said.
Shipley said he forced the man outside and held him down until police arrived.
"He kept trying to get his gloves off and saying he was going to shoot me, but I don't think he had a gun, so I just kept punching him," he said.
When officers arrived they took Donald White into custody. They said they believe White stole a truck in Omaha and used it in the attempted robbery of the pharmacy. Investigators said White may have also robbed the CVS Pharmacy in Council Bluffs earlier this week. Charges against White are pending.
It was an unusual morning for Shipley, but it's not the first time he's stopped a crime.
"About 10 years ago the same thing happened with the same result," he said. "I actually chased him down and tackled him further down the parking lot."
Shipley said he'd do it again.
"I know if I wouldn't have done anything I would have regretted it. I just like to take care of the situation."