By By ANDY HAMILTON / Dowagiac Daily News
NILES – The City of Niles Police Department is investigating an armed robbery that resulted in one Niles woman being shot.
According to a press release from Capt. James Merriman, on Wednesday at about 9:23 p.m., Niles officers were dispatched to the Dollar General store, 410 N. Second St., in response to an armed robbery and shooting. Officers located at the store two employees, including a manager who sustained a gunshot wound.
The incident was the second within one week that involved two black males allegedly holding up a store. Family Dollar at 1200 Niles-Buchanan Road in Buchanan was robbed about 8:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 1.
The Berrien County Sheriff's Office reported two clerks locking the front door of the Family Dollar store Dec. 1 at closing time were approached by two black males wearing burgundy bandannas over their faces. According to that report, the suspects demanded the clerks go back into the store, at which time one of the suspects allegedly grabbed the deposit bags and shoved them into the front of his pants.
The two clerks were then ordered the employees into the office and told them to stay there. The suspects allegedly fled on foot in an unknown direction with an undetermined amount of U.S. currency, the report stated.
Both robberies are similar to a string of hold-ups at auto parts stores in Niles and Indiana – South Bend, Elkhart and Goshen – that occurred in November. On Saturday, Nov. 11, two men robbed the AutoZone auto parts store on 702 S. 11th St. in Niles, also at closing time, by forcing an employee who was leaving for the evening back into the store.
Because of the list of incidents, Merriman is recommending to people who close businesses at night to not hesitate to call the police department if they see a suspicious person or situation. Upon request, Merriman said an officer can be dispatched to the business to make sure the area is safe.
"If you feel uneasy … give us a call. We will come down there and watch the area for you," Merriman said. "In these times right now … we will certainly get down there."
In the incident Wednesday at the Niles Dollar General store, Merriman reported officers located the victim and manager of the store, Carolee Womack, a 36-year-old Niles woman, with a gunshot wound to her right arm and chest area. A second victim, Angelica Sevrey, 17, also of Niles and an employee at Dollar General, was located unharmed a short time later after being released by one of the suspects.
Both victims were in the process of closing the store when the alleged robbery occurred, the release stated. Merriman reported the door at the store was locked and the employees were walking towards their cars when they were approached by two suspects wearing dark clothing with stocking caps and handkerchiefs over their faces exposing only their eyes.
The release stated both suspects in the Niles case are black males between 5 feet 7 inches tall and 5 feet 10 inches tall.
One suspect allegedly forced Sevrey into her vehicle and made her drive around the block while keeping the store in view, Merriman reported. The release stated the second suspect took Womack back into the store and allegedly removed an undetermined amount of money before shooting her and fleeing.
The alleged shooter then fled the store and met up with the second suspect and Sevrey, who were still in the vehicle. The suspects, with Sevrey, drove a block away and then fled on foot. Sevrey then reportedly got out of the vehicle and ran home about three blocks and called the police.
Womack was treated by Southwestern Michigan Community Ambulance Service and transported to Memorial Hospital in South Bend, Ind. Her injuries were not life threatening, Merriman stated.
Also responding to the scene were the Berrien County Sheriff's Department and the Michigan State Police.
Anyone having any information into the identity of the suspects is asked to please call Crime Stoppers toll free at 1-800-342-STOP or the Niles Police Department detectives at (269) 683-0404. Your identity will be kept confidential. Both Crime Stoppers and the Niles police offer monetary rewards for information.