Video shows street vendor robbed at gunpoint in Long Beach
LONG BEACH, Calif. - A street vendor selling corn in Long Beach was robbed at gunpoint Friday afternoon.
The brazen robbery was captured on surveillance video. The vendor, Milton Cruz, was walking down an alley near 10th Street in Long Beach when the robbery happened.
"I started hearing someone saying, 'Money, money,' and I looked to my right, and the man was there with a gun," Cruz said, in Spanish.
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Cruz said he did not defend himself because he was afraid and gave the man his money, which was around $180. He said the man checked his wallet again and then left.
"I'm bringing this all to light to show how it is a necessity for us to work, though it is not safe," he said.
Cruz is an immigrant from Guatemala. He came to the U.S. three years ago and has three young children and a wife. He works to provide for his family.
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"We [vendors] do not harm anyone. We just make a living differently. We work for our families and we live day by day," he said.
Community members have come forward to help Cruz and his family following the robbery. Those interested in chipping in can visit the GoFundMe page.
The identity of the suspect is unknown, however, he is believed to be a Black male who was riding a bicycle in the area. Anyone with information about the robbery is asked to contact the Long Beach Police Department.
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