An 8-year-old girl in Maplewood, Minnesota, took on a would-be robber at her father’s store, beating him repeatedly with a baseball bat until he fled the scene.
The incident unfolded on Saturday night at around 9:30 pm when the suspect, identified as Conchobhar Morrell, 37, entered the Big Discount Liquors store wearing an Amazon uniform. Morrell allegedly pulled out what appeared to be a handgun and demanded the store clerk, known only as Leo, to hand over all the money in the register.
As the clerk was scrambling to comply, Morrell allegedly tried to storm behind the counter where the young girl was standing. Surveillance video captured the dramatic events that followed.
The girl’s father, Leo, quickly stepped in, punching Morrell and wrestling him to the floor. It was then that the brave 8-year-old girl armed herself with a baseball bat and began striking the suspect repeatedly.
“I’m so proud of her, she’s so strong,” the clerk said, clearly astonished by his daughter’s actions. “That day, I just wanted to cry. When I saw the video, I didn’t expect she’d do that. I expect a little girl crying, screaming.”
Morrell eventually fled the store, but was soon apprehended by the police nearby. He was charged with first-degree attempted aggravated robbery, and the apparent firearm he initially brandished turned out to be a BB gun.
An Amazon spokesperson confirmed that Morrell had been working as a delivery associate for a third-party service provider. He will now be “immediately offboarded” in the wake of his arrest.
Morrell is currently being held in custody and is set to appear in court on Friday.
The brave actions of the 8-year-old girl have captured the attention of the community and beyond, with many praising her for her quick thinking and remarkable courage in the face of danger.
