By reporter Steven Smalley
A robber wearing a hood with his face concealed by a mask, entered Metropolitan Market at 3830 34th Avenue West Monday morning, attacked an employee, and fled with an undetermined amount of cash. No weapon was seen, according to store sources.
Seattle Fire responded at 6:46 a.m. and was first on location to tend to an unnamed woman who was aggressively choked by the assailant.
“He choked her really hard. He choked her to shut her up,” said a source.
Some thought it might be an inside job by a current or former employee.
“He came in through the [south] door and locked it behind him,” an employee tells Magnolia Voice. “When he left, he didn’t open it. He just kicked through it because the store has safety doors and are made to open. He knew they would just swing wide open.”
As the robber ran out of the store and up the alley a staff member gave chase but did not catch him, according those inside the store at the time.