Indianapolis, Indiana

From Indianapolis’ WISHtv.com of September 27, 2006

Attempted Jewelry Store Robbery Leaves One Suspect Dead

A robbery ended in gunfire at an east side jewelry store, in the 5400 block of East Washington. It happened around 10:30 this morning at the Rosco Jewelry Store.

In the process of the attempted robbery the owner took out a handgun and shots were exchanged. One of the suspects was hit and died at the scene. Police say the second suspect tried to escape by running upstairs in the building, but is now in police custody.

The two suspects were brothers. Two other employees were in the store at the time of the robbery and the owner is cooperating with police.

The jewelry store is located across the street from George W. Julian Elementary School, School #57. Police are searching for a bullet near the school. One of the bullets from the shooting went through the front door of the store and across the street hitting a car. Joseph Blackburn is an interpreter at the school and the owner of the car.

"I guess there was at least a dozen of them, and they brought their shotguns and they circled back and all around and they were running around and all of a sudden they stopped and one lady, one of the police lady had a shotgun and went in that door over there," said Blackburn.

He says as soon as the gunfire was exchanged the school went on lockdown and has remained on lockdown since.

Neighborhood residents say the store has been around for about 30 years and with the on-going violence on the east side, IPD Chief Spears feels enough is enough.

"Its very upsetting to us as a police department, I'm sure it's very upsetting to the community because as you noted the business right across the street is a day care center, or youth center," said Chief Spears.

From Indianapolis’ WTHR,com of September 28, 2006

Accused pawn shop robber says it wasn't his idea

Eyewitness News has learned more about what happened inside an east side jewelry store when the owner shot and killed a robbery suspect Wednesday morning. It's a harrowing story of survival, and we also hear the suspects' side of the story.

Roscoe Parmley is back in his jewelry store. He feels lucky after surviving a hold-up that ended with Parmley killing one of the two robbers.

"I was only trying to keep my brother from making a mistake," said Nicholas Artry.

That mistake put Nicholas Artry in jail and claimed the life of his 18-year-old brother Corey. Nicholas insists he didn't know about the hold-up until they got to the store. He says he then tried talking his brother out of it.

"I made the best effort that I could and he decided to go in there and at the time I'm just thinking like, I can't let my brother go in here and just die," said Artry.

Detectives say it looked as if someone would die. "basically they just stormed in," said Det. Marcus Kennedy, Indianapolis Police Department. "The one with the gun, he actually put the gun to the heads of the three people that work here."

When Corey Artry's attention turned from Parmley, "he just noticed that was his opportune moment to strike back and that's when he started firing," Kennedy said.

Nicholas Artry denies holding a knife to an employee's throat, insisting he tried to protect the worker, and when the shooting was over, hid in the suspended ceiling. He says he was glad when the police showed up "because when the police came I knew that they weren't just gonna kill me on site," he said.

The brothers were in the store the day before - Nicholas Artry says shopping, but police say they were casing it. Even knowing workers were well armed, two brothers with no criminal records investigators say went ahead with the robbery.

Meanwhile, Parmley will likely not face charges in the shooting death of Corey Artry. Police say it looks like Parmley fired in self defense.

Another article about this incident dated September 30 appears here.