Two men arrested in violent robbery

THEODORE, Ala. (WALA) - Mobile police said a man was almost shot at point blank range. Luckily for the victim, the gun didn't go off. That was just part of a scary incident that happened in Theodore, when police said robbery suspects attacked three men.

FOX10 News spoke with one of the victims, who is still very upset.

Dennis Tucker planned to have a good time relaxing with his buddies. But the night took a turn for the worse when they went to buy beer at a gas station. Tucker had a violent encounter with two men in the parking lot.

"He said something, and I thought I may have knew him. I went over to see what he wanted, and he pulled out a pistol," Tucker said.

"Pulled out a black .380 semi automatic handgun and attempted to fire, but the gun did not go off," Officer Ronald Wallace added.

"Either it was empty, or didn't fire. Then he gets out and grabs my phone and says, 'I think I'm going to take that.' I said, 'I don't believe you're going to take anything.' Then I snatched it back and he punched me in the throat. My buddies got out to get him off of me because he was beating on my head," Tucker said.

When Tucker's two friends came to help, police said a mele ensued. They said the suspects, Michael Bush and Josh Hartness, started assaulting the three men.

"Mr. Bush jumped back into the driver's side of the suspect's vehicle and jumped the curb, and the two victims that were trying to help the first victim got hit with the vehicle, and basically pinned against the wall of the business," Wallace added.

The impact was so forceful the clerk said the victims hit the newspaper machines, which smashed through the glass window. The men are now trying to recover mentally and physically.

"He's skinned up from here down to here, just solid bruises and scrape marks. He ended up with the small bone behind the back of your leg, the tibia bone, it's broke. He's skinned up pretty bad," Tucker added.

Minutes later, police spotted the suspects on Theodore Dawes Road, and arrested them.

"Stupidity is all it was; young and stupid," Tucker said.

Tucker said he's glad the suspects were caught and thankful he lived to talk about it.

Both suspects are facing a first degree robbery charge. Police said Michael Bush was the man who tried to shoot the victim.