The Shell gas station at Atlantic and Market. Google Maps.
The Shell gas station at Atlantic and Market. Google Maps.

A North Long Beach gas station employee was able to take a robber’s gun and hold him until police arrived early Friday morning, according to authorities.

The botched crime started around 3:50 a.m., Dec. 27 when the gunman walked into the business at Atlantic Avenue and Market Street and demanded cash from the register, LBPD spokeswoman Jennifer De Prez said.

A fight broke out when the gunman used his weapon to hit one of the two employees present, De Prez said. The employee was hurt during the scuffle, but the injury wasn’t life-threatening, police said.

“During the altercation, the victim was able to disarm and detain the suspect until police arrived on scene,” De Prez said.

When officers got to the gas station, they arrested Jerry Lewis Kimbrough, a 33-year-old resident of Long Beach, according to the LBPD.

De Prez said he was booked into Long Beach Jail in lieu of $1 million bail on suspicion of attempted murder, assault with a firearm on a person, mayhem and second degree robbery.

A jail booking log shows the incident happened at 5400 Atlantic Avenue, which is a Shell gas station.

Jeremiah Dobruck is managing editor of the Long Beach Post. Reach him at [email protected] or @jeremiahdobruck on Twitter.