CINCINNATI -- A man held a Pleasant Ridge Chili waitress at gunpoint Monday afternoon as he robbed the popular restaurant, and police are requesting the public's help in identifying him.
When she saw a man enter her workplace with a gun in hand, one waitress -- whose identity we have kept private while the suspect remains free -- said she was paralyzed. If she moved, she was afraid he would pull the trigger.
But he didn't. He passed by her and aimed the gun at another employee, demanding money. As soon as he did, the waitress ran outside to call the police.
"From that point, I could hear coworkers yelling that he had a gun in the other server's face and telling her to get the money out of the drawer. He kept saying, 'Get the money, get the money,'" she said.
Security video released Tuesday afternoon by the Cincinnati Police Department bears out her story: The man enters and holds his gun against the other employee's chin in front of a customer.
Although no one was hurt in the incident, the employee who was threatened took several days off to cope with the psychological strain of being held at gunpoint. The suspect remains at large.
Authorities requested that anyone who recognized his face contact Crime Stoppers at 513-352-3040.
Editor’s note: WCPO does not ordinarily use anonymous sources. However, WCPO staff members use anonymous sources in rare circumstances where such sources are the only way to obtain information vital to the public good. WCPO staff members have vetted these sources and believe the information they provide to be accurate and in good faith.
