Police investigating 7-Eleven workers who thrashed alleged repeat robber

 The two 7-Eleven workers recently caught on camera giving a suspected robber a thrashing in Stockton, California, are now under investigation for possible assault — even though the focus of their righteous indignation had allegedly threatened to shoot them on multiple occasions.

Viral video of the July 29 incident, captured by customer Louis Benton and subsequently posted to his Instagram page yo_folkers, initially shows a man wearing a blue T-shirt over his head pushing a 20-gallon trash can behind the register of a 7-Eleven store downtown Stockton. The robbery suspect snatches hundreds of dollars' worth of tobacco products off the shelves, filling his can as he makes his way down the employees-only row.

One of the clerks asks, "Hey, why you stealing everything?"

The suspect responds with an insinuation that he might gun down the clerks, saying, "Shut your a** ... before I put my strap on your b**** a**. B**** a** n*****." 

Benton can be heard telling the clerks, "Just let him go. ... There ain't nothing you can do."

Having just had their lives threatened, the clerks both leap into action.

One of the employees blocks the suspect's advance, while the other goes off-screen to grab a broomstick.

In the ensuing melee, one clerk takes the suspect to the ground, while the other returns to deliver an estimated 23 thwacks with the stick, eliciting cries and groans. 

"I'm done!" yells the suspect. "I'm going to go!"

Benton shouts, "That's called whoopin' your a**! Whoop his a**! Get him!"

Despite the apparent pleasure he derived from seeing justice meted out, Benton ultimately helped negotiate a peaceful resolution, which saw him walk the suspect off the property and the clerks agree not to call the police.

Benton told ABC10, "Those two workers who protected their store, they did a courageous act."

The Stockton Police Department indicated in a statement Saturday that this was not the first time this particular robbery suspect has made life difficult for the 7-Eleven employees.

Around 3:41 a.m. on July 28 — a day before the thwacking incident — the suspect reportedly "entered the business, went behind the counter, and threatened to shoot the victim if he intervened. The suspect then took several packs of cigarettes and other items and placed them in a large garbage bag before leaving," according to police.

A 7-Eleven employee told police that on July 29 at 12:27 a.m., the same suspect returned, demanding cash "while simulating having a handgun."

When the employee refused to comply, the suspect allegedly "grabbed several food items and placed them in a garbage bag before fleeing."

It appears that the robbery suspect's third 7-Eleven incursion, caught on camera by Benton, took place later that morning, given that around 3:05 a.m., police reportedly met with members of the Stockton Fire Department in the area who were dealing with a "male requesting medical aid and complained of pain to his leg and shoulder. The male did not know if he had been assaulted."

The SPD indicated that owing to Benton's recording of the "July 29 robbery and assault, the Stockton Police Department was able to combine the investigations of the suspected robberies and suspected assault" and investigations are now under way.

The SPD, which characterized the video as footage showing "two 7-Eleven employees assaulting a robbery suspect," noted that it would turn over its findings for both investigations to the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office for review.

"The police station is right across the street. Why is there no presence over there?" said Benton. "The community needs to take care of each other and we need to make sure that we are morally doing the right things. We've got to change."

According to the San Joaquin Valley Sun, both 7-Eleven employees have declined to comment to the media.