Anyway, I got to the 711 (on Harrison – across from Whole Foods) a couple minutes later then I normally would have, I ride up & the owner was saying, “Look! They just ran that way!” I said, “Huh?” He said, “We just got robbed!” The police showed up within minutes & started questioning everyone in the store. They were all told to lay down at gunpoint. They stole everything but the safe money cause they didn’t have the key.
I left feeling soooo bad for the one woman who was alone outside in her car at this point. She told me another patron said at one point to “Get Down!”. Out in the parking lot when the police came she kept saying, “Why did I stop by for a bag of chips, why didn’t I just go?”
I stayed around for a lil while & asked her if she was gonna be ok. She said “I’m on my own, can’t contact my friend.” What could I do. I mean I wanted to give her my email or something, but what could I really do? The police were so unfriendly standing right next to me so I felt obligated.
You’d think on Valentines’ Day, it would be about love and all. The only thing I can say is, be there for someone, even a stranger, if you can. I felt really weird hugging this woman, but I don’t regret it, I probably would have wanted someone to comfort me if I had a gun to my head.
We hear this all too often in Oakland & major cities. It doesn’t even make the news cause it’s so common.
All I have to say is…be safe & if you’re in a situation like this, duck & cover, remember as many details about the person/people who robbed the place to report it.
…As of now they are still out on the streets & I can’t sleep!
Zennie Abraham