NORMAN — When officers of the Norman Police Department responded to an armed robbery call Wednesday night at an Asian Buffet restaurant they found a man on the floor, tied at the ankles with shoestrings.
Before calling the police at 10:07 p.m. Wednesday, a crew of restaurant employees subdued Eric Arthur Zimmerman, 29, who allegedly entered the restaurant wearing a mask and carrying a gun.
Employees told police that a masked man came into the restaurant at 149 12th Ave. SE while the manager was counting the cash register money and demanded she hand it over. They identified Zimmerman as the hog-tied would-be robber.
The manager said she instinctively grabbed his mask, trying to reveal his face while the security camera was rolling.
“I don’t know what I was thinking,” she said Thursday evening. “I just grabbed his mask so this way he would be recorded if he did walk away with the money.”
The manager said Zimmerman then turned around so she pulled his T-shirt to prevent him from escaping.
She then yelled for help and two employees came running.
The manager said the trio grabbed Zimmerman and after some wrestling, moved toward the store entrance. The manager said one worker then locked the door.
Employees told police that Zimmerman fired his gun once, but no one was hurt.
“I wasn’t scared at all,” the manager said. “I think he was shocked when I grabbed his mask. I guess people just usually hand him the money, but that wasn’t happening last night.”
Zimmerman was booked in the Cleveland County Detention Center on Thursday morning on a charge of robbery with a dangerous weapon and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.
As of Thursday evening, Zimmerman still was in custody. Bail has been set at $20,000.
Sgt. Jennifer Newell, spokeswoman for the Norman Police Department, said the investigation is ongoing.
She said the department does not recommend people taking it upon themselves to subdue a criminal.
“In no way, shape or form do I want to complain about what they did, but you don’t always know it will turn out that way,” Newell said. “No amount of money, no amount of property is worth giving that up.”
Nanette Light 366-3541 nlight@normantranscript.com
