Sales Clerk fights back, gets fired

PENSACOLA, Fla. (WALA) - Eric Henderson was unemployed for two straight years before getting a job at a Circle K in Pensacola. Henderson said he’s been working as a sales clerk for the last 4 months. And the job was going smoothly until three robbery suspects showed up.

“She starts yelling shoot him, shoot him!" said Henderson.

Before the suspects had a chance to shoot, Henderson said he saw an opportunity to take the gun from 25-year-old Verna Sealey.

"I grabbed her around the neck and slammed her on the ground and grabbed the gun in both my hands,” Henderson said.  

Henderson said Circle K's policy states clerks are not to provoke, chase or engage a robber. When managers saw the footage of Henderson fighting back, he said they fired him.

“I don't recommend anybody to put your life in danger, but in my opinion this clerk had an opportunity. He obviously felt like he was in danger and he saw an opportunity to save himself,” Detective Dylan Stackpole said.

Now, Henderson is back at square one and looking for a job. Even though he may have saved his life, he lost his job.

“I don’t care if it were a bigger person, smaller person or a child; if you have a gun in your face, if you're struggling with somebody you're going to bite, kick, scratch, pull," Henderson said. "You're going do every dirty thing you can think of to save yourself."

FOX10 spoke to Circle K's regional office in Pensacola. They stand by their policy and their decision to fire Henderson.