A 16-year-old from Thousand Oaks is behind bars following a violent Sunday afternoon crime spree in Simi Valley that left a store clerk injured and a local homeowner fearing for his life.
The chaos erupted at the 76 gas station on Stearns Street. According to Simi Valley Police, the teenager stormed into the convenience store, grabbed a female clerk by the neck, and punched her in the face.
The motive for the brutal assault? A single pack of cigarettes.
As the teen fled on foot toward a nearby golf course, his day took another criminal turn.
He was confronted by a homeowner who recognized him from a package theft earlier that day.
When the resident attempted to intervene, the 16-year-old allegedly reached into a bag and threatened to shoot the man dead on the spot.
Simi Valley PD acted quickly, establishing a perimeter in the neighborhood.
Officers eventually spotted the suspect and tackled him after a short foot pursuit down Alamo Street.
The teenager now faces a litany of felony charges, including robbery and making criminal threats.
He is currently being held at the Ventura County Juvenile Justice Center.
Due to his age, his identity has not been released, sparking a heated debate among residents over whether the severity of the violence warrants a push to charge him as an adult.