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Sedalia Police Department officers are searching for a black male wearing a hoodie after an armed robbery and shooting in downtown Sedalia Thursday afternoon.

At approximately 1:32 p.m., a black male entered Gold Buyer, 108 S. Ohio Ave., and shot the owner/operator twice, according to SPD Sgt. Chet Mackiewicz, who spoke with the Democrat at the scene shortly after the incident. SPD Chief John DeGonia told the Democrat at 3:30 p.m. the owner is Wesley Brown, and he was taken to Bothwell Regional Health Center.

The owner, who Mackiewicz said is expected to be OK, was the only person in the shop at the time of the robbery, along with his dog.

We couldnt talk to the owner much, Mackiewicz said. He will be OK, but he was shot and in serious condition. It happened quickly as far as we know. We dont know what direction the suspect was headed because the owner was shot and he went down.

The suspect fled the scene with unknown property from the business.

We dont know the specifics of what was stolen, Mackiewicz said. We dont know, other than money and property.

The victims dog was taken to safety by SPD Animal Control, and officers are attempting to contact the victims family.

Mike Ronspiez and Heidi Williams, both of Sedalia, told the Democrat they were walking down Ohio just prior to the incident, and stopped outside the store as Ronspiez considered taking a silver ring into the store for an appraisal.

We were walking down Ohio Street and by the time we got down to that area we were walking right by the We Buy Gold, it must have been roughly 1:30 p.m., Ronspiez said. We stood in front of that building for about two minutes, deciding if we were going to go in there or go around the corner because she wanted to look at some sofas. Instead we went to the Maple Leaf and looked around. We must have been in there about 10 minutes and when we came back out ambulances and cops were there and everything was going crazy.

Williams added: If we had gone in there then we might be dead now.

The rest is here:
Suspect at large after armed robbery