Police nab 19-year-old in stabbing, robbery

Texarkana, Texas, police arrested a 19-year-old Texas-side man in connection with a stabbing and aggravated robbery Saturday afternoon at an E-Z Mart in the 2100 block of Texas Boulevard.

Police arrested Oral Shorter Jr. in the stabbing of a convenience store clerk with a screwdriver during the robbery.

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Police dispatchers sent officers to a reported robbery at the store shortly before 2:45 p.m. Saturday. Police arrived on the scene, where the clerk, who had sustained non-life-threatening injuries, told them she was working inside the store's cooler. She said that as she left the cooler, a man was waiting and demanded money. He stabbed her at least twice with the screwdriver as she tried to flee to the front of the store. The man then pursued her and allegedly threatened to kill her. After she told him she couldn't open the store's safe, he took her backpack and fled the store, heading north on foot, she said.

Shortly after the man fled, Texas-side Police Officer Jason Woodridge found Shorter, who matched the description provided by the stabbing victim, as he was riding a bicycle near the West 15th and Pine streets. Woodridge arrested Shorter, who reportedly had the victim's backpack and a screwdriver.

Shorter was taken in for questioning by Texas-side Police Detective Tabitha Smith, who learned during the course of her investigation that he had also allegedly stolen a 2018 Ford Escape the previous Friday night or early Saturday morning from a parking lot in the 500 block of West 12th Street.

Police booked Shorter into the Bi-State Justice Building Jail, where he remains in custody pending bond.

Officers found the missing vehicle after Shorter reportedly told Smith he had left it immediately prior to the robbery.

LifeNet Emergency Medical Services personnel treated the store clerk's injuries at the scene.

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