ST. LOUIS, MO – Newly released security footage has captured the chaotic moment two Starbucks employees fought off a pair of armed robbers in what they described as a “life or death situation,” only to be fired by the company weeks later.
The Midtown Attempted Robbery
The incident occurred at the Starbucks location near the St. Louis University campus in Midtown. Two hooded men entered the store, with one aiming a gun at the workers behind the counter. Ten employees and a customer immediately complied and hit the ground.
One of the suspects rushed the register, shoving a female worker. Employee Michael Harris stepped up to open the register but lacked managerial access to the cash. While attempting to comply, one of the robbers pistol-whipped Harris in the back of the head.
“When my vision went black, I was like, ‘I’m about to get shot,'” Harris stated. “It was definitely a life or death situation.”
Employees Launch Counter-Attack
Seeing the robber lower his weapon, a second employee, Devin Jones-Ransom, tackled the armed suspect into the drive-thru window. The impact broke the weapon, revealing it was a replica.
Once Jones-Ransom announced the gun was fake, Harris joined the struggle. Overhead security cameras captured the two workers overpowering the suspects in the dining area. One suspect was pinned to the ground until police arrived, while the second fled but was later apprehended.
Both suspects have since been convicted of robbery and sentenced to prison.
Termination Over Company Policy
Weeks after the incident, once media attention subsided, Starbucks terminated both Harris and Jones-Ransom.
Starbucks defended the decision, stating the employees violated company safety protocols:
“Our priority is ensuring the safety of everyone in our stores… While we recognize how intense and unpredictable these moments can be, adherence to these protocols [complying with demands] is essential to help protect both partners and customers.”
Harris expressed shock over the firing, noting that the Midtown location had been plagued by aggressive customers and safety concerns for months with little corporate intervention. Harris’s attorney criticized the policy, arguing it dissuades people from protecting their own lives when they need it most.
