Chattanooga Times Free Press (Tennessee)
Stump Martin, Staff Writer
Police found weapons on a suspect in Monday’s Wal-Mart robbery when they separated him from a crowd of witnesses hours later at the Fort Ogle-thorpe Police Department, officials said.
Fort Oglethorpe Police Chief Doug Howell said that Clyde Junior Perchelli, 21, of Georgetown, Tenn., “had two throw knives we took off of him after we identified him.”
Mr. Perchelli and George C. Hughes, 44, of Cleveland, Tenn., are facing charges in Monday’s attempted robbery that led to a shootout with police in the store’s parking lot, officials said.
Mr. Hughes was hit four times and is under 24-hour guard at Erlanger hospital in Chattanooga, Chief Howell said.
“He has already tried to kill a cop, and if he gets up, no telling what he would do,” Chief Howell said. “It’s too great of a risk to leave him alone.”
He added that he has been told that Mr. Hughes’ condition is “improving.”
Wal-Mart employee Lee Tyler Davis, 21, was struck in the neck during the gunbattle. Chief Howell said the bullet came from Mr. Hughes’ gun.
“He was shooting back towards the store, and unfortunately the guy who was shot (Mr. Davis) was walking out the door,” Chief Howell said.
Mr. Davis was listed in fair condition at Erlanger on Wednesday, hospital officials said.
The chief said Mr. Perchelli was inside the store Monday and mingled with witnesses and bystanders after the shootout.
He was among a group of more than 15 witnesses who rode in police cars to the police station to be interviewed.
Police watching a video recorded in the store recognized him, Chief Howell said.
“I would like to tell you it was all very impressive police work,” the chief said. “But, like a lot of police work, if they (criminals) weren’t stupid, we wouldn’t catch them.”
Mr. Perchelli is charged with carrying a concealed weapon, Sgt. James Mathis said. He was denied bond at his initial hearing Tuesday. He will be scheduled later to appear in Catoosa County Superior Court, authorities said.
Mr. Hughes faces charges of attempted robbery, aggravated assault, aggravated battery and attempted murder of a police officer, Chief Howell said.
Mr. Perchelli’s record includes an arrest in Meigs County in 2004 on a charge of driving on a suspended or revoked license, according to jail records. Mr. Hughes served about two months in Bradley County Jail for a DUI conviction in 1998, said Bob Gault, spokesman for the Bradley sheriff’s office.
Michael Mills, Atlanta-based regional director of corporate affairs for Wal-Mart, said Mr. Davis is a “valued employee.”
He also said all Wal-Mart stores have security cameras, and the footage is monitored 24 hours a day. He said Wal-Mart spent more than $246 million so far this year on security for stores.
“We strive to make sure every customer is safe,” he said this week.
Staff writer Ginny LaRoe contributed to this story.