7-Eleven clerk assaulted during robbery
By LAURA CHILDRESS

A simple burglary at 7-Eleven early Friday turned into an assault and second-degree felony when a clerk confronted a customer attempting to steal beer.

Detective Larry Denison with the Little Elm Police Department noted the incident occurred around 12:30 a.m. Friday.

"One suspect went into the store to buy beer when he decided they wouldn't let him because he was underage, so he grabbed two 30 packs of Keystone Light and started out the door," Denison said. "One of the clerks went outside to stop him.

"A second suspect pulls up in a car and opens up the back door to let him in. The clerk gets into the car in the backseat. The first suspect puts the beer down and begins punching and kicking the clerk, trying to get the clerk out of the car. The other suspect gets out of the vehicle and together they get him out and take off.” Denison said the Denton County Sheriff's Office then received a 9-1-1 call from a customer, who provided the license plate number of the suspects' vehicle.

Police traced the vehicle to a residence in The Colony and upon visiting the home found one of the suspects, who admitted to assaulting the clerk and identified the second suspect as his brother.

Taylor Kirk, 17, was arrested for robbery and assault and later released on bond. His brother, Greyson, 19, was arrested following the execution of a warrant and also released on bond.

"It was very brave of the clerk to do that, but it was also a very dangerous move to get in the car,” Denison said.

While the injuries to the clerk were minor, Denison said the assault elevated the robbery to a much more serious case.

"They went from facing a simply Class C theft, which is punishable by a $500 fine only, to a second-degree felony upon assaulting the clerk, which is punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $10,000 fine," he said.