Two store employees prevent armed robbery by brandishing their own knives

Store manager David Cannon had a ready response when a 22-year-old man wearing a hoodie walked into Country Homes Power in Spokane Valley and brandished a knife on Thursday. But it wasn’t the response the would-be robber was expecting.

“He said, ‘Give me all your money,’ ” Cannon said.

Instead, Cannon pulled out his own knife, a Kershaw knife used for cutting cardboard. And one of Cannon’s coworkers, behind the desk, pulled one out, too.

It led to the arrest of 22-year-old Jonathan L. Epperson, according to a news release from the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office. The attempted robbery happened at about 4 p.m. at the shop located at 5323 E. Sprague Ave. in Spokane Valley.

“He was surprised,” Cannon said of Epperson’s reaction when he pulled his own knife.

Epperson later told deputies that “they both stood up and pulled knives out of their pockets. I didn’t expect that and realized I was probably going to lose, so I gave up and did what they told me to do,” according to a news release.

“I told him to sit down,” Cannon said.

Epperson sat on the ground, and Cannon asked him why he would do this.

“He’s like, ‘I don’t know. I’m sorry.’ ”

Cannon called 911 and Epperson remained on the floor.

“He was very apologetic. I felt bad for him,” Cannon said. “He seemed desperate.”

Cannon, who works at a juvenile detention center on the weekends, said “It’s not like it’s a new thing to be threatened.”

Epperson was arrested and booked into Spokane County Jail on Thursday. He faces a first-degree robbery charge.

“I wanted to steal their money, and I wanted to hurt them,” Epperson told deputies because he wanted “money just like they do and I deserve it.”