Armed robber shot at after assaulting man pumping gas

CORNELIUS, N.C. — Cornelius police spent Friday searching for the man in an armed robbery from Thursday night.

Ruperta Vega told said her husband, Fernando Torres, could have been killed.

“Right now, he's doing OK. When he arrived last night, his face was hurting a lot, his chest, and also his stomach,” said Vega through a translator.

The father of three small children was on his way home from work around 6 p.m. Thursday when he stopped for gas at a Citgo on Catawba Avenue.

"Somebody came behind him and demanded his money, and once he said he didn't have any money, he started punching him everywhere and hitting him," Vega said.

She said the suspect pointed a gun at her husband, beat him up and even threatened to kill him.

Fortunately, a person nearby stepped in, firing off one shot at the suspect. The suspect ran into the darkness.

Call police if anyone has any information.

Police released a surveillance photo of the suspect, who was described as a black man in his late 20s, 5 feet 9 inches to 6 feet tall, wearing a white shirt, dark shorts, black shoes and a black backpack.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Cornelius Police Department at 704-892-7773.

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