Marine Corps Veteran Disarms Robbery Suspect in Yuma Convenience Store

The full story

On October 20, 2021, a surveillance camera inside a Chevron convenience store in Yuma, Arizona, captured an armed robbery attempt. The footage shows three individuals entering the store, with one suspect pointing a handgun at a customer identified as James Kilcer, a retired U.S. Marine. Kilcer immediately lunged at the gunman, successfully disarming him and holding him in a headlock until the suspect broke free and fled the scene. While initial reports indicated that the suspects escaped, the Yuma County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that all three juvenile suspects were taken into custody by October 29, 2021. One of the suspects was also linked to a separate robbery at a Circle K on October 11, 2021. Following the incident, the Yuma County Sheriff’s Office commended Kilcer for his actions, and he was subsequently recognized with a Citizen's Valor Award for his intervention. No further public details regarding the legal proceedings for the juvenile suspects have been released, as such information is protected by privacy laws.