A Few Good Men Capture Armed Robber Near Alderwood Mall

9 Jan 2015 | Courtesy Asset Marine Corps Recruiting Command

Despite their reputations as tough guys at the "tip of the spear," daily life for many members of the Marine Corps is pretty dull.

"It can get tedious," said SSGT. Ben Shoemaker. ""There's a lot of paperwork."

Tuesday, however, three Marines were called to duty outside the Alderwood Mall.

"It looked like road rage," said SGT. Ricardo Schebesta.

They saw a woman in her 60s chasing two men through the mall parking lot in her truck.

They initially stopped her.

"Then she told us these guys tried to rob her and started yelling help and honking the horn," said Shoemaker.

The robbers told the victim they had a gun. The Marines chased the men through traffic and tackled one of them on the side of the road, as countless people passed on by.

"It's more upsetting that she was driving around for who knows how long honking her horn and there was nobody doing anything," said Shoemaker.

The other suspect is still at large.

Ben Shoemaker is a decorated combat veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan. He was awarded the purple heart after a mortar attack. Shoemaker wishes more young people understood how good we have it here, and hopes the 18 year old suspect will learn from his mistakes.

"He was in need of guidance," said Shoemaker. "And I guided him right to a police officer."

Police say the victim was Marine Corps strong, as well, fighting off the two attackers who were armed with a baseball bat.

She saluted the Marines on their Facebook page Wednesday.

The few, the proud, and one tough woman.

"She could be a good recruiter for us," said Shoemaker. "I'll have to see if she has any children that need to join the Marine Corps."

Story can be found at: http://www.king5.com/story/news/local/2015/01/07/usmc-alderwood-mall-armed-robbery-lynnwood/21415089/


Marine Corps Recruiting Command