Waukegan store manager speaks out after nearly being shot during armed robbery

CHICAGO (FOX 32 News) - A manhunt is underway for the man who shot up a suburban liquor store.

The robbery occurred Sunday at Big Daddy's Liquors on Grand Avenue in north suburban Waukegan.

“I was so upset, I was so scared,” said store manager Mukesh Patel.

Patel was turning out the lights in his beer coolers at closing time when he heard what he thought was a customer entering the store. He froze in his tracks when he saw a masked man heading towards him with a gun. The robber demanded his cash, then pulled the trigger, but the gun didn't fire.

“First shot, nothing happened. And then, ‘Give me your money, give me your money. I have no time.’ And (then) he (fired) another shot,” Patel said.

The second time, the gun fired and Patel dove towards his right. The bullet passed just over his left shoulder into the glass coolers. Then, Patel races toward his cash register with the robber following, and keeps the gun on him until he's filled a sack with almost a thousand dollars in cash.

Then, the robber grabs the sack and flees on foot.

Patel feels unbelievably fortunate that he wasn't hit by a bullet. But he ended up in the hospital anyway, with what he feared was a heart attack.

FOX 32: They determined it was anxiety and a panic attack?

“Panic Attack. Happened in my chest,” Patel said.

Patel was released after a few hours at the hospital. Waukegan police say the suspect is a black male, about 5-foot-10 with a medium build. He's considered armed and dangerous, and anyone with information about him should call Waukegan police.