He was just 18 years old, but one decision inside a store was about to put him under a police microscope, but started as an alleged robbery quickly turned physical when an employee tried to stop the suspects from leaving. Then came the punch. The teenager insisted the employee had pushed up on him first, but detectives weren't convinced that justified what happened next. They kept coming back to one question. Why didn't you just walk away, and as the interview continued, conflicting stories, witnesses, and surveillance video began changing the picture. But the most damaging moment may have come near the end when police told him there was video evidence. And suddenly everything he said mattered. >> Going good. You doing all right today? >> Yeah. >> Could be better, I guess. >> I'm going start carrying around some nitro gloves in my back pocket. I swear to God. >> Yeah, I hear you. >> Hey, could you stand around for a minute? >> I'm good. >> Got to be check. Who's coming out? Robert, >> what? Robert got on the bus and came right in. You saw it. >> Where you at? >> Red. I came in behind. >> Oh, he came after he left out. >> Yeah, he I was going to take him to the he come out the store like I seen him chasing him. My wife was like, "Why they probably stole some souls or some shit?" >> Yeah. They didn't go behind the camera. >> I don't know. We was outside. >> Okay. >> I didn't know they were acting how they were running like he was like [ __ ] up. >> They would have been on the news. They would have said he was wrong. He would have screwed me. The robbery, >> huh? >> The store robbery. >> Well, robbery is going to come out. So, >> we already start. >> Don't worry, sir. SP. So, was they trying to was were they trying to steal something and then they he tried to stop him? >> He already took some stuff in his jacket >> and then he tried to stop. >> Stop. Stop. Okay. >> They're not going to They're not going to >> Huh? They're probably over there. >> They got the these clerks. They got to stop. >> Huh? >> They got to stop. >> All that All that over some damn honey buns, >> right? >> You saw this? >> You saw it? >> No. I'm just saying in general, I'm like >> there's just no need to come out of your little box. >> Yeah. >> At least they shoot. That's a fact. >> He said there was juveniles. >> That's what he said. >> They look that that guy in a gray shirt. >> They look bigger. >> He looked bigger than the damn juvenile >> on foot or the foot. >> He said they went over to the school. Is that school open? That school ain't even open. >> There's a I think there's some cars parked like up there where the office is, but yeah. I don't know. >> He look like an adult. I >> He may have went that way, but he's been crooked. Well, they got off the ma, so that's going to Oh, >> they got off the bus and walked in. Well, >> that's the case. >> Mr. M. >> No, no, I just general. >> Well, I mean, it'll be Well, technically, I guess it's a strong armed robbery because they were shoplifted and he tried to stop him from going out the door. Then they started hitting on him and [ __ ] So, that calls a robbery. >> Robbery's coming out like statue. Oh. What's that different than somebody trying to stop somebody at public trying to stop him? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. He should have just let him go, man. >> That work. >> Is his face split open like on his cheek? >> Yeah, it is. >> All these guys want to save. >> Yeah, ain't working, man. 605 radio AMR 61 >> AMR 61 >> M61 Yes. >> 2603 right now. walk out. >> I mean, you got >> I mean, it's just a robbery, but it'll be Does it give you an option to put strong arm in there? >> Or weapon? you I guess if it says weapon, you'll just have to put fists or whatever it is, you know. >> So, all right. >> How expensive were the is the >> I think I think I paid like $11 a >> Yeah. Thank you. >> No problem. Have a good one. >> I just told them don't spook them. Give us a little time to cuz they going to run anyway. Let me tie my shoe up. cuz you know as soon as we set up >> crazy as hell for >> what's up >> single um I put in the application >> Oh my bad. >> I don't got I put in the application but I don't got experience. What's the starting pay? >> Uh it just went up to 6 to1. So >> we going to have to go in there aggressively anyway. >> Yeah, you going to have to. He got two people him. So he good. All right. Y'all see send me the pictures. What they look like? >> They probably change clothes. >> No, they change clothes. >> They didn't. Okay. >> See the video. >> See? Yeah. Send them to >> They got one on the side. It should be one towards the field. And I think they got two in the back. Yeah. You just sent it to me. Put my phone in the car. >> Let me put my uh lock on real quick. >> Where? >> No, I just want to put my activate that secure lock. >> Come on. Let's Let's go on here to go over here cuz the way they moving, they kind of >> Come on down. What you got in your pocket? Where your phone at? >> My pocket. >> In your pocket. >> Can you pull up to the front? >> Put it on airplane mode. Most likely it's not on. >> Huh? >> It's not on. >> It's not on. That's cool. >> You look for me. Where you from? >> Huh? >> Where you from? >> Where? What side? Central. Where you from? >> West side. >> I live on the west side. >> Okay. >> Both of them are dopes. They'll explain to you further once y'all get in the car and let y'all know what's going on. Just just chill for a second. You got a phone on >> 17 and 18. They Yeah, they'll >> got your phone on you. They >> take one and let the trainy take one. You got your phone on you? >> Yeah. >> We'll take you to the car here. >> You want You want to let her take the headquarters? They want the headquarters. Pull that. Let me search you all the way. Hold on. Let me get in here. It's all you had. Yeah. >> Where your backpack and stuff is? Is it in there? >> No, I ain't burn. >> You burn one. >> All right. Sit down. 114 931 in custody. >> Watch yourself. Good. Come on. >> What floor you said? Third or four? Third, right? >> Third. >> I don't know. >> They going to the rooms, right? Third. I'mma wait on you. >> Talking about pressing charging. >> Yeah, man. Why you got down here? >> Man, he a hoe, bro. >> Hold on. Come here. Get on here. Come on. >> The elevator to the right. Come on. Come on. Come on. Come on. >> Y'all talk about that later. Don't talk about it right now. >> She put my hands on somebody first. >> Why you say first? >> Because he put his hands on me first. >> He did? >> Yes. >> Who was he? >> The store manager. Whatever. Store. Whatever. Yeah. What store? >> This the little red store by the school >> by by Phoenix. >> Yes. >> Oh, okay. What happened? >> So me and Kan got down. We walked in the store chill [ __ ] I had money. I got money. So I'm just looking in that [ __ ] I'm just trying to see what I want. >> So he come around the corner. If he would have walked in there and horned to or defended him, protected third party, which Georgia law says he has the right to do, that man would have came out here, made a statement, and went right on home. >> Got to be your parents crying solid on the news. It happens. >> That's tough, bro. >> It happens. >> That's tough. You got anything else to say, man? I'm done. >> But I hope you get your >> I believe in you, dog. I believe in you. I believe you. I believe in you. I really do believe in you. >> The recursive call. Call. You got a cell phone? >> You got your cell phone? >> I got it. >> You know your mama, dad number by memory? >> Senator. >> Hm. I don't know about me. >> Okay. What's your mom name? a long time before you were born. >> Yeah. >> So you got structure and you got discipline in your household. >> Correct. Why you going to dent school? What you doing? Cuz um when I was in 10th grade, I had like I was in the gym and I had grabbed the wrong computer and somebody had my computer. I was thinking out my computer the whole time I was in school. So when it was time to turn it back in, the serial number was wrong and I nobody turned my computer back in. So they wouldn't let me back in school for that. >> But you did turn in the computer. [clears throat] Yeah, I turned in their computer, but I couldn't like they wouldn't let me back in cuz I didn't turn in my personal computer. I don't think that's I don't think that wants to know. >> But no, cuz my I can look it up was bad, too. >> Okay, I can look it up now. >> You can look it up. >> Okay, >> so [clears throat] what happened to your career? >> I don't know. >> It ain't back to you. >> Well, that was a vicious attack. >> I didn't mean to do that math like that. I'm going to show your mom and your dad what they going to say. I don't know. I mean, that's the only thing I can think of it. When I was in the sixth grade, this dude whooped my ass. He gave me a black eye. I wore that black eye for two weeks. So, every time somebody saw me and ask me what happened to your eye, that was a reminder like, damn, this dude really whooped my ass so bad for the next two weeks. Somebody see me, they got to ask me what happened. So, when it was time for me to defend myself and fight somebody, I want to do the same thing to them. I'm being completely honest. I made sure everybody I follow that I hit them and they wor for two because that's what I had to that's what I went through. Now I know somebody was going through the same thing when I was in school in that stage. That's you feel me bucked up a little bit but [ __ ] bro I ain't do that man like that bro like you dropped the chips on the floor and then you picked them back up and then came out. You could have left them chips down said [ __ ] it. >> You was scared. You would when y'all separate you would have left out right then and there. >> You was scared. You want to stay? >> I I get what you're saying as far as like when he grabbed me. He was scared. Fight flight at that point. But you was scared before that. But when he pushed up on you, >> you was probably scared and you know fight. Now when he got to pushing up on me, cussing and [ __ ] Hell no. You scared? >> No, cuz I didn't expect that [ __ ] Like when I was mocking him like I didn't expect this [ __ ] to push up on me like on some weird [ __ ] Like [ __ ] I come in every day. What the [ __ ] you want to push up on me like this for today for? Like hell you got going on, bro? >> Because you know I know you scared when you reach for you. You was already outside the store. You made a conscious decision to turn around, reenter the store, and whoop that man ass. You was outside the store. You was free. That man won't go catch you. You do that. You want to make a statement. So that's why you said tell me that, "Oh, I'm wrong or that ain't what it is." That's you was outside the store. That man was going to catch you. He refill you, but he wasn't successful. You do that. You went back in there to whoop that man ass, bro. It happened too fast. Like I wasn't thinking about nothing was going wrong going around me. Like I was like >> like focused on this man like what the hell you got going on. >> If you would have ran and not turned around like yeah okay yeah he blacked out or yeah he wait you fled. >> But when you turn around that wasn't no fear factor. The fear factor is I'm going to flee. If something pop off right here now I'm like this too much for me to know what's going on. I'm going I ain't going to go to it. >> At this point I knew what he was on. >> [clears throat] >> But I was I was afraid but [ __ ] act like my call. >> But now like when I when we kept like talking and [ __ ] like I knew when he was going like >> cuz I thought the [ __ ] was going to try me on something. >> You really thought that man going to try >> bro? Cuz he always do it like he always I thought this was the day he was going to push up on me. Try. >> So why you keep trying then? He always do it. You know why you giving him your business then? You said what? Why you giving him your business? If he's he's insinuating that y'all still not treating you a certain kind of way or pushing >> why he had to do that. He don't always he don't always just say like what the [ __ ] you talking about like what you trying to do. Like he don't always do that. Like he'll say some [ __ ] but he won't do all that got a story. I don't like his customer service towards me. I don't like his attitude. Even if you don't sit up to even if he give me a look like he disgraceful my money not good enough. [ __ ] him. Why would I want to sit back and continue to get different business and make his family rich? >> That's all you can't say. I'm done though. >> I wish you the best, man. Sure. You need me to call your parents? >> Okay. >> What you want me to call? >> No, I'm going call your dad. >> I got you. >> Okay. >> What's his number? >> You want to call your mom cuz she going to take you on your baby? number. >> What does make sure you straight man? >> Huh? >> What? You said you ran to make sure he was straight. Make sure he straight. >> Cuz when they was waiting, he he slammed [clears throat] him on the ground and his hands was on the ground. >> Who slammed who on the ground? >> Huh? >> Who? You said he slammed him on the ground. Who slammed who on the ground? Cuz we wasn't there. >> So, are you saying the clerk slammed your family around or your friend slapped the clerk on the ground? >> Both. They like they both went down at the same time. >> Well, who slam? Who who had control? Who did the slaming? >> I I don't know who had control. I didn't know both of them went down at the same time when I was standing by the door. >> Okay. >> And I walked out the door and then when he had walked out the door, he he was he started running. So I had ran to make sure he was straight. >> What make sure you straight? >> No. What? Make sure he make sure he w injured or nothing. >> And then when he wasn't injured, what happened after that? >> We went inside schoolh. >> Did y'all talk about the situation? >> Huh? I talk about it. >> Yeah, I What you mean? >> Did you and him talk about it? >> No. They told They told They said wait to talk about it. >> Who they saying? You and him talk about it. But after that like y'all went to school with him. >> No, I I told him I told I told him to I told him he was tripping. >> Mhm. >> Then when we went in the building, I had made sure he was calm. I had went to class. I didn't know where he was. >> Then that's when the um administrator had came and got me and told me what was going on. >> So during this time, we all at the store. He said he came up to try out first. >> Yeah. >> What do you do? >> He He walked up to us and we had we had snacks and stuff in our hand, right? >> Mhm. >> But we was standing by the trainers. So >> when I was going to pick up my drink, he had walked he had walked up to my partner and was like, "Uh, is y'all done what y'all doing?" >> Mhm. >> And my partner was like, "We shopping. We going to spend money." And then that's how it started, man. >> Then what happened after that? After that, uh, the man had walked to the, um, the friend the store and I had walked out the store. >> Mhm. >> I don't know what happened after that. >> You walked out the door? >> Yeah. Like after I had ran? I don't know what happened at that. >> You didn't see the altercation between your partner and they're going for you? >> No. >> You didn't see how it started? >> No. Did you see any other altercation? >> What? Them with them two? Yeah. [clears throat] >> Yeah. Like when we first walked in the store? >> No, I mean like a physical altercation. Not the verbal, the physical. What? >> Oh, no. No. >> So then you said you know he slammed him and you know his hand walked out the door. That's the only thing. >> So then that mean you did witness it? >> Yeah. >> Okay. So who slammed who? >> I'm saying they slam each other. I don't know who. Two two people can't slam each other at the same time. >> Like they they had each other wrapped up together >> hold them together. >> I see what you're saying. How you know? He was chasing y'all like that though. Like look at this incident that happens. >> He probably thought y'all was stealing out in the store. >> Who that chasing? He didn't know what was going on. >> He didn't know [ __ ] beat the man up. >> See how he turn. >> See how he got he went completely opposite direction. He came out and he run off and he was about to ass. He didn't want nobody to think that he was affiliated with that dumb [ __ ] y'all did. >> He must have was about to help the store clerk and then you told him to stop. True. your partner. >> I don't know what he was doing. I don't know what he doing. I >> did not say what's up. >> I promise you right there. >> Oh yeah. I was cool, too. Like, yeah. What's up? Right now. >> No, I ain't. I say something like that. I ain't do nothing. >> You literally I ain't got nothing. What's up? I ain't got nothing. You pull your pants up. Y cuz your father pull his pants up and then you pull your pants up. Y about [clears throat] cuz y'all both about to fight right then and there. But >> you if they fault right then and there before all this happened, you going to find out? >> No, cuz I know what I got going on. I keep telling y'all that I'm I'm out on bun. Like I I can't I can't do nothing stupid. That's why I didn't >> You did something stupid. This is very [ __ ] stupid. You did something stupid. You know you know what type of detective we are. >> Robbery detective. I didn't rob no you was with somebody rob somebody. He was a compass to me. Like he's a lookout man. Let me tell you, >> you got two parents in the house, so uh it's about decisions. Life is about decision, choices you make. Soon as he slams, you could have just ran out the door. But you did it, right? You talking about they slammed each other. That was a straight mollyw [ __ ] And you know, he ain't swing on [ __ ] You just wanted to make sure that he didn't get the best of your friend. Cuz if he still was, that's why you went over there. Oh [ __ ] Straight out again. >> Yeah. Whoop his ass, twin. Whoop his ass, twin. >> I'm saying >> that what you were thinking. >> What you were thinking? >> Not thinking about that. >> What you were thinking about? the the way it was. I told I told him I said we could just go to another store. He didn't want to go to another store. >> No, I'm saying why you told we go to the store? >> Cuz the altercation I I ain't want I ain't want that to happen. >> Yeah. >> The store that's right next to I told him I said we go to that store. He said no. >> So what you say? >> Huh? >> So why you say? Okay. He said no and I steal one of my snacks. >> Now you got to get a robbery charge. That's crazy. >> You look cool on camera. You got shades on. Walking down the aisle smile. I ain't got nothing. I ain't got nothing. Knowing y'all [ __ ] with it, man. >> I didn't have >> Now, was he Was he wrong for coming at y'all like that? >> Yes, >> of course. I agree with you. But that doesn't give you the right to do with you out there and mess with the man. It doesn't give you right for it. But it says he do whatever you want to do. Morally was wrong but lawfully was wrong. No. It look like y'all still. I ain't going to hold you. It was so many transactions in that video where yall with you like he trying he tried to get you to steal something. But you like hell no. I saw it. Right. I look like you got some bigger pants. >> Right. But I didn't. I said I said it look like >> you told him no one time. He was like put your pants. You said, >> "So, I know y'all planning on stealing." >> I'm going to >> How much money you got? >> How much money you have to write down? >> How you going to buy? >> $5. >> Where $5? >> I got it right now. >> What is that? I >> don't know. I gave it to my sister. >> When? >> Your blood sister? >> No. >> She not my blood. >> You a good liar. >> She not my blood sister. >> What you give her money for? >> That's my blood sister. >> What did you give her money for? to go to the store for me cuz I know I can go back in there and she was going to leave. She was going to leave early and go to the store cuz she already had something to do. She was going to go home. >> How old is she? >> 18. We could legally leave at 18. So ain't got no money on you. >> Okay. >> But you going to buy something that cost more than $5. >> I ain't picking now. Now, if you look at, >> you were going to buy something that cost more than $5. Chips and a drink cost more than $5. >> No chips are $2. That drink is $250. >> Hold on. Hold on. Wait, hold on. Wait, wait, wait, wait. >> The drink that I had in my hand was a dollar. >> Mhm. >> I promise you. >> The chips. The chips. You're not lying about the chips. They They like 250. But that drink I had was a dollar. >> What kind of was it? >> A Arizona. >> A dollar. Mhm. But right now you got no money on you. So you can't prove you had money. >> No. >> So your intention was to steal. >> No. All right. I walk in the store only. I ain't got no money on me and I keep picking up stuff down. Picking up stuff down. Picking up stuff down. Right. Cool. And then I'll take action. What you going What you going to say I try to do if I had no money on me? You ain't no money. Why you picking up stuff for? And it look like you didn't want to be there. I'm with you. It looked like you did not want to be there. I give you that. I'm connecting with you on that part cuz he tried to get you to steal some sugars, but you told him no. I seen that part on camera, right? Oh, you ain't going to say that part. I get it, man. Y'all pers But you all right with your partner though, man. You got something to say? got anything to say? Oh, yeah. I do got something to say. No chips. Were you going to sell chips for yourself or steal them for your father and your brother? >> I did not steal you stole them. I said the ones that y'all were discussing stealing the blue Oreos. The blue Doritos. >> He was planning on buying those. I swear to God. And then and then he put them back and said he he looked at me and said, "I don't want those no more. I want the hot fries." So he went to go switch them out for the hot fries. We switched them out for the hot fries. That's when the man came over there and said something to us. We We never had We was never going to steal out of there. >> But y'all thought could y'all please stop saying y'all >> was y >> y'all walked to the store together side by side. Y'all was in the store together. Y'all confronted the clerk together. Y'all pulled up y'all hands getting prepared for physical altercation together. >> And you thought attorney school cool? Yeah. I'm in I'm in uh what? pay cash. That [ __ ] cool as hell. >> Not alternative school. >> What is it? >> Get to get get your credits right. >> So your credits ain't right. >> That's not a primary school you went to. Duh. So you went there for a reason because you wasn't doing what you were supposed to do in regular school. So you went there as an alternative. >> H started school day. What that mean? That's why I got changed opinions. I started school late too. You're not even 18 yet. They send you they send you to school late or you get held back several times like going on 20 and 19. You still 17. >> You about to turn 18. >> Like my man said earlier, you you lie good but you don't lie good enough. What you going to school for? >> To graduate early. >> Why you think it's funny, bro? Like I'm being so for real. The school is for us to graduate early. So why you at that school for? >> To graduate early. >> But you went early. You You are in 11th grade and you about to turn 18. You supposed to be graduating in May. Why you not graduating in May? >> [ __ ] I not >> You said you started school late. What does that mean? What does that mean? >> I'm graduating early. >> So you in 11th grade. How can you graduate in 11th grade? >> Oh, you're about to be 18. >> You said you was in 11th grade, right? >> How can you graduate in the 11th grade? I thought you had be a 12th grade graduate. Help me out. Folks, >> the school we go to, if we finish all our classes, we get skipped the grade and we got to wait for graduation. >> Did you take the Georgia high school graduation test yet? >> The what? >> The Georgia High School graduation test yet? >> No. >> So, you're going to get a GED, not a high school diploma? >> Yes. >> I don't know which one. I'm I'm graduating from school. >> You're very bad at this. >> At what age? >> Y'all think I'm lying. >> No, I'm trying to work with you, but we're older. So, we're old school, right? I thought you had to be a senior to graduate. [clears throat] >> You do the school. The school that we go to is not a regular school. We do online work. We don't do no paperwork. >> We do online work. If we finish our classes in time for us to graduate early, >> we graduate, we graduate when uh when everybody else supposed to graduate. That's in 12th grade. >> We still graduate with our home school. That's not our home school. Like I just told you, Doug, is my home school. >> So, you going to finish school this year? >> Yes. 18. >> Yeah. >> What's your name is you back on. Move your sleeves up. Like try to put these on as comfortable as possible for you. You don't need to be an ass. You feel me? Put them together like you're praying. It's going to hurt. You do it that way. Yeah. Like that. Good. >> Yeah.