Suspect apprehended after Lewiston Orchards convenience store robbed at gunpoint

A Lewiston Orchards convenience store was robbed at gunpoint at about 11:30 a.m. today, and the suspect was apprehended about an hour later in Lapwai.

A man walked into the Liberty Mart convenience store on the 600 block of Thain Road and allegedly robbed it at gunpoint, taking money from the cash register. 

The man was wandering around the front of the store when cashier Jacob Mellick, 24, of Lewiston, asked if he could help him.

“He was staring me down,” Mellick said. “He said, ‘I need money,’ and I said 'I’m sorry man.' ”

The man allegedly pulled out a black handgun and pointed it at Mellick, asking if he had any money now, Mellick said.

Mellick said he opened the register, grabbed the big bills and handed the man about $400 to $500. The man then allegedly grabbed a bottle of Johnny Bootlegger Juice Joint Watermelon malt beverage and left the store in a Toyota, Mellick said.

“I was more shocked than scared,” he said. “When he pointed it at me, it was pretty scary.”

The suspect was apprehended within an hour of the robbery in the Lapwai area, Nez Perce Tribe spokeswoman Kayeloni Scott said.

“The vehicle came out here to Lapwai,” Scott said. “It was pulled off of McAtty Road; from there officers did have to apprehend with force to remove the suspect (from the car), and he is in the custody of Lewiston Police.”

Tribal Police, Idaho State Police, Lewiston Police, FBI and Nez Perce County Sheriff’s deputies collaborated to apprehend the suspect.

“Everybody worked together well out here to handle this without incident,” Scott said.