Marie Paradis — manager of a gas station convenience store connected to Stone's Auto Repair in St. Albans, Vermont — had been on edge after a number of robberies in the area in a short period of time.
Paradis shared with WPTZ-TV that her instincts told her to prepare for trouble Wednesday morning.
“I went and heated some coffee, and I double-heated it to almost boiling," she recounted to the station. "Because I just had this feeling that if they tried something, I’m going to throw the coffee.”
Sure enough, Paradis saw a man dressed in all black and wearing a face mask approach the store, WPTZ noted.
"I knew something was wrong, and I was ready for him," she added to the station.
Paradis told WPTZ she had already pressed the panic button when the man walked to the front counter — and he was carrying a gun, as surveillance video shows:
"He said, 'Open up the till,' and I said no," she recalled to the station.
Paradis recounted the crook's persistence to WPTZ — though she redacted his profanity: "I said open up the effin' till and give me all the money."
She replied to the armed robber that the till's contents were staying put, the station said: "You're not getting any money from me."
With that, the crook threatened to open fire.
"I am going to shoot you if you do not give me that money," the man threatened, according to her recollection to WPTZ.
Paraidis added to the station that she replied, "Then shoot me, because you're not getting the money."
Video shows Paradis chucking her coffee toward the armed man's head:
Then she pepper-sprayed him, forcing him to cover up and retreat:
He ended up taking off with some cigarettes and e-cigarettes — and no cash, the station said.
"I was thinking, 'I'm here to serve the people, and I'm here to protect this store," Paradis told WPTZ. "And that's what I'm gonna do, and I would do it again."
Paradis added to the station that she was too angry to feel fear in that moment: "These are hardworking people that I work for, and I’m sick and tired of the robberies. Eight robberies in the last two weeks on our community. I’ve had it."
The store owners told WPTZ they're grateful Paradis is OK — but they're frustrated that their employees must concern themselves with safety at work.
"Our employees have to come to work every day and worry about whether they’re gonna be broken into or not," Kim Stone told the station. "That shouldn’t be their first concern."
WPTZ said despite some businesses having been hit twice by the rash of recent, very public robberies, police have yet to nab the culprits.
"We're small-business owners, and you work hard for your money," Stone added to the station. "And for someone to just come and just try to steal it, it just makes you angry."
WPTZ said it contacted the St. Albans Police Department for comment but was told no one was available to speak with the news station.
St. Albans store clerks fights back against suspect as string of robberies remain unsolved youtu.be
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Democratic Rep. Angie Craig of Minnesota was assaulted in the elevator of her D.C. apartment building on Thursday.
Craig's chief of staff, Nick Coe, noted in a statement that the congresswoman had been "assaulted in the elevator of her apartment building in Washington DC" — Coe noted that she "defended herself from the attacker and suffered bruising, but is otherwise physically okay."
"Rep. Craig called 9-1-1 and the assailant fled the scene of the assault," Coe said. "There is no evidence that the incident was politically motivated."
\u201cStatement by Rep. Angie Craig's Chief of Staff:\u201d— Angie Craig (@Angie Craig) 1675965203
Reports indicate that a police report about the incident notes that Craig said she threw hot coffee at the assailant. A suspect has been arrested and charged with simple assault.
"My morning coffee really saved the day yesterday, but not exactly how I expected it to. On a serious note, I will also say that I was very, very lucky that I was not more injured – and I'll have more to say about that soon," Craig said in a statement on Friday. "I wanted to let everyone know that the outpouring of support from friends, constituents and colleagues has been overwhelming. From myself, Cheryl and our entire family, thank you."
“I remain deeply grateful to the law enforcement officers for their quick response and subsequent arrest of a suspect last night," she said in the statement. "I feel very fortunate to have escaped following the attack and be home in Minnesota today recovering."
Craig has served in the House since 2019.
\u201cStatement from Rep. Angie Craig:\u201d— Angie Craig (@Angie Craig) 1676064734
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A-list actor Tom Hanks is selling coffee for a good cause: He has founded Hanx for Our Troops, which will donate all of its profits to benefit veterans and their families.
"At Hanx, we're on a mission to create goods that do good. We honor the patriotism and service of our Veterans and their families by giving 100% of our profits to organizations who provide them with critical support and resources," according to the Hanx website.
"Beyond our operational upkeep and necessary business expenses, all earnings (profits) will go towards a community of trusted organizations that provide support to Veterans and their families," the website states. "As a storyteller, Tom has dedicated much of his career to telling stories about the American Military. He founded Hanx to honor, celebrate, and support those who have dedicated their lives to American freedom."
The actor has been a major movie star for decades, appearing in films such as "Big," "Forrest Gump," and "Cast Away." He is also the voice of the character Woody in the animated "Toy Story" movies.
"We saw HANX as a way to support Veterans and military families, as 100% of the profits go to organizations that have proven to be of great aid to those who have served our country. Good products for good reason," the actor said in a statement on the Hanx website.
"A Confession: I gotta have coffee a few times a day, but it has to be good coffee, made my way, and WHY NOT have my needs serve a good cause???" Hanks said in an Instagram post. "Pour yourself a cup o’H*A*N*X. It's good coffee."
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Are They Going to Ban Coffee Next?! #Shorts