Valley Cottage gas station employee fights off armed robbers; Manhunt underway

VALLEY COTTAGE (WABC) -- Clarkstown police are searching for two suspects in an attempted armed robbery at a Valley Cottage gas station.

The incident happened on January 10 just before 8 p.m., when the Clarkstown Police Department were called to the Oasis Gas Station on Route 303 in Valley Cottage for a possible armed robbery.

A worker at the gas station told police that two masked men came in through the front door and held a long gun to his face before demanding money. He then got into a fight with the suspect who had the gun.

"I thought he was going to shoot me," he said. "I really thought I was going to be shot."

The worker, Paul Kunz, said that when one of the men tried to open the door, he pushed the door back.

"I pushed the door open, and at that point they just went back," he said. "The one guy in the back kept saying, 'Get him in the store, get him in the store,' and then the other guy is pointing saying, 'Give me the money, give me the money.' I say I got no money, I got no money."

Suddenly staring down the barrel of a shotgun, Kunz says adrenaline took over when he decided to fist fight the two thieves inside the parking lot. The suspects got away with nothing, but Kunz likes to think he may have stolen their pride.

"Everybody says I was brave, but it was just instinct," he said.

Kunz says he then tried to wrestle the rifle away, but the man holding it was too strong. When the fight moved into the lot, Kunz began to scream for help. Disoriented and stunned by Kunz rebellion, the thieves soon took off empty handed and were last seen going west on Emerald Drive.

"The man upstairs knew it was not my time, and that's what happened," Kunz said. "I think, you know, because he had me on my back, he could have shot me right there and boom, taken the money out of my pocket and just left."

Police are now reviewing this surveillance video and hoping tips from the public will help crack the case. In the meantime, Kunz likes to think the thieves will think twice before striking again.

"Got their pride because I got my money, and they got nothing from me," he said.

Kunz received minor injuries to his knee and arm.

Police did an extensive search of the area using a K-9 unit, but they were not able to locate the suspects.

The suspect that had the long gun is described as a black male, 6 feet tall, 180 to 200 pounds, wearing dark clothes and a mask. The second suspect is a male, 5-foot-8 and weighting 160 to 180 pounds.

The gun is described as a long rifle with a small barrel opening on the end, possibly a .22 caliber.

Anyone that may have been in the area or has any information about the incident should call the Clarkstown Police Department Tip Line at 1-877-639-6233.