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Robber, 29, hid in brush eight hours after robbing Family Dollar, shooting employee, St. Pete police say

 
BOYZELL HOSEY   |   Times The scene of an armed robbery at this Family Dollar store at 1702 4th. St. S. in St. Petersburg in Wednesday, July 31, 2019.  Robber hid in brush eight hours after robbing Family Dollar, shooting employee, St. Pete police say.
BOYZELL HOSEY | Times The scene of an armed robbery at this Family Dollar store at 1702 4th. St. S. in St. Petersburg in Wednesday, July 31, 2019. Robber hid in brush eight hours after robbing Family Dollar, shooting employee, St. Pete police say.
Published July 31, 2019

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ST. PETERSBURG — An armed robber who shot and injured a Family Dollar employee hid out in nearby brush for about eight hours until police closed in on him after sunrise.

Terrian Javon Knight, 29, surrendered peacefully just before 7 a.m. in a retention-pond field about two blocks northwest of the robbery scene, a Family Dollar store at 1701 Fourth Street S.

"That was the goal," St. Petersburg police spokeswoman Yolanda Fernandez said at the scene. "We wanted to make sure we could keep him contained there and keep an eye on him until daylight."

Knight held up the store about 10:15 p.m. Tuesday and shot an employee, police said. The employee was treated at a hospital and released. Knight faces charges of armed robbery and attempted homicide.

Police closed a section of Fourth Street S from 15th to 18th Avenue S while officers, police dogs, a Pinellas County Sheriff's Office helicopter and St. Pete SWAT officers joined in the search.

Police asked nearby residents to stay away from the scene and remain indoors except to leave for work. Motorists were asked to avoid the area.

"It's a good ending," Fernandez said. "We are happy we got this to a peaceful resolution."

Contact Kathryn Varn at kvarn@tampabay.com. Follow @kathrynvarn