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EXCLUSIVE: Olney Store Owner Stabbed During Robbery Speaks Out

By Jericka Duncan

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The owner of a home linen store in Olney spoke exclusively to Eyewitness News about his struggle with a knife-wielding man who he says tried to stab him in the chest.

"I was screaming so loud, all I could hear was my scream," said owner of Home Linen Textile, Ahmed Nijim, who suffered a minor injury to his right thigh.

The 24-year-old says pleas for the attacker to stop didn't faze the suspect, who swung around a 12- to 15-inch blade knife.

Surveillance cameras captured the robbery, which happened this past Friday evening, in the 5000 block of N. 5th Street at approximately 5:40 p.m. At first, the suspect is seen grabbing the hair of a 25-year-old female employee and forcing her face to the counter. He then demands money. Even after he gets the $120 from inside the cash register, he pushes the victims to the back of the store.

Lt. George McClay with the Philadelphia Police Department says there have been at least two other robberies on N. 5th Street with in the last two months, but in those cases, the suspect had a gun and never physically tried to hurt anyone.

The suspect left behind a tan baseball cap. Police say they will try to match the DNA of the suspect's hair with their database of convicted criminals. Investigators still want to hear from you if you recognize the man in the surveillance video.

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