Man turns tables on shotgun-toting thief - KCTV5

The suspects may have thought the man was an easy mark when they pulled a shotgun on him.

But the victim pulled the tables on the shotgun-toting suspect who was soon wrestled to the ground and in handcuffs.

"The thought went through my mind to fight him and when I did drop the wallet and he came back up it just hit me to hit the shotgun up in the air and wrestle him to the ground," the victim, Aaron Martin, told KCTV5.

Police were called to the area of the Plaza tennis courts near Ward Parkway and Main Street at 3:24 a.m. Sunday. There in the median, officers found Martin struggling to hold down the suspect.

The 24-year-old victim said he was walking to an apartment from a nearby Quik Trip. That's when a vehicle carrying the two suspects drove up. The passenger got out of the vehicle carrying a shotgun, which he then "racked," and pointed at the victim, according to a police report.

The suspect ordered the man to give him his personal belongings including his keys and wallet.

"The victim pulled his wallet out of his pocket, held it up and as the (suspect) was standing a few feet away, the victim dropped his wallet on the ground," according to the report. "(The suspect) bent over to pick up the victim's wallet, still pointing the shotgun at the victim."

The victim then rushed the suspect as he was bending over. They began fighting for the shotgun, which the victim was able to wrest away. The victim tossed the shotgun aside, and pinned the passenger to the ground, according to the police report.

"He said, 'Freeze give me all your stuff. I had a Quik Trip bag and my cup in my left hand," Martin said. After tossing his wallet down and rushing the man, Martin said he focused on the weapon.

"I grabbed it and hit it up in the air," he said. "I started wrestling with him. I got him turned around on his back in the street. I was able to pin him down and get the shotgun away from him."

The driver exited the vehicle and ordered the victim to let the passenger go. When the victim did not, the driver fled westbound on Main. Witnesses observed the victim struggling to keep the suspect to the ground.

"They approached the victim and he advised that there was a firearm nearby and to pick it up so that the (suspect) could not retrieve it," according to the police report.

An off-duty officer arrived, putting the suspect in handcuffs.

The suspect who fled the scene remains at large.

Robert F. Mays, 40, of Kansas City was charged with attempted first-degree robbery. A judge set bond at $100,000 cash only and ordered him not to have contact with Martin.

The shotgun was not loaded.

Martin served two tours of duty in Iraq as a member of the Air Force. He said he has a lot of experience with guns and saw action in two battles.

Martin helps restore houses with water or fire damage. He has a second job on the weekends by serving as a doorman for a downtown bar.

"I was way bigger than him and I chose to fight him that night," Martin said. "I didn't choose to lay down and take it like most people would."

His own parents weren't pleased he risked his life for his keys and wallet. However, they told him they were glad he was alive and stood up for himself.

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