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On Saturday, October 15, surveillance cameras in a California jewelry store captured footage of two men carrying out a violent armed robbery.
In the shocking footage, recorded in Gemma's Jewelers in Rancho Cucamonga, two masked suspects can be seen entering the front door of the store, brandishing handguns as they threaten customers and staff.
Disclaimer: The following video may be disturbing for some audiences. Viewer discretion is advised.
As the civilians put up their hands and crouched down, one of the suspects went behind the counter and pistol-whipped store owner Margarita Pereda until she collapsed to the ground.
In an interview with Fox 11, Leonardo Franco, an employee at Gemma's Jewelers, noted that both suspects were disguised. While one was wearing an Amazon employee jacket, the other was seen dressed like security.
Details about the arrests made in the California jewelry store robbery case
According to a statement by the Rancho Cucamonga Police Department, authorities arrested two people under the suspicion that they were the primary gunmen in the footage.
They have been identified as 28-year-old Christopher Lamar and 23-year-old Angel Olvera. A third man, 34-year-old Ontario resident David Goffney, was implicated as a suspect as well, though his role has not yet been disclosed.
KTLA reported that while Christopher Lamar was arrested by the California authorities in San Bernadino on October 19, Olvera was detained in Rancho Cucamonga on October 20. On October 21, authorities nabbed David Goffney at Riverside.
In an official statement, store owner Margarita Pereda commented on the robbery and attack, which left her with an open head wound. In an interview with NBC, she said:
"We have an employee and a customer inside the store and they don’t care at all. I was scared to see my employee yelling and in a big shock when he pulled out the gun."
She continued:
“I was bleeding a lot, I was thinking I’m not going to make it because there was blood everywhere."
In a separate interview with KTLA, Pereda noted that while the experience was terrifying, she intends to continue running her store in California:
“I’m not gonna be afraid to close my doors. No no no no no. I’m keeping going, sir.”
In an official Twitter post, Ernie Perez, Captain of the San Bernadino County Sherriff's Department, released an official statement about the arrests:
The 3rd & final suspect involved in the Gemma’s Jewelers robbery was arrested this evening in Riverside by (the Rancho Police Department) detectives & (San Bernadino County Sherriff's Department. Outstanding work to close out this robbery & assault! Three firearms seized over the last 2 days."
All suspects are currently under the custody of California authorities.
