Store owner recalls several hours of chaos
Read more: Local, Breaking, Crime, Community, Macomb, Farm King, Employees Bravery
MACOMB, ILL. -- Rick Severs owns Farm King in Macomb. He described the scene Wednesday as chaos.
"After being in 50 years of retails, never seen anything like it," Severs said.
Severs says Jonathan Lubbe {Lah-*BAY*} walked through the store's doors with a backpack, headed to the sporting goods department and asked for ammunition. Severs says his clerk knew right away that something was not right.
"He just asked, uhm, to unlock the gun cases. He wanted our ammunition and he says, you don't want to be a part of this," said Farm King Manager Jeff Nimrick.
"Our guys diverted his attention and directed everyone else in the store to get out. We had an announcement telling people that they had to get out of the store," said Severs.
Severs says his staff was incredible, helping people get out of the store when shots were being fired.
"Without quick thinking..a lot worse could have happened," Severs said.
Macomb Mayor Mick Wisslead agrees that things went as well as they could, given the circumstances.
"Everything we did, we've done all this before...so everything worked the exact way it was supposed to be," Wisslead said.
Severs says the store will replace the glass and ServiceMaster came in the store to clean. He hopes to open the store to customer's again Friday.
We also asked Farm King owner, Rick Severs if this incident made him question the layout and security of the sporting goods department. He told us because guns are locked away and have trigger guards, he believes his store's security plans were effective.
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