Starbucks Robbery Suspect Might Sue Customer, Who Stopped Him, For 'Excessive Force'

A 30-year-old man, Ryan Flores, who was accused of using a gun during an attempted robbery in July at a Starbucks in California might sue the customer, Cregg Jerri, who intervened by attacking Ryan from behind, reports said.

Ryan remains in jail on attempted robbery charges and plans to file a lawsuit against Jerri for using excessive force.

In July, Ryan, who was wearing a Transformers mask, attempted to rob a Starbucks when he pulled out a gun, a knife, and a bag, and demanded money from the barista, as is seen in the video. Jerri, who was seen to be enjoying his drink in the video, attacked Ryan with a chair from behind.

Ryan also hit back and the altercation between both the men continued. The thief stabbed Jerri in the neck with a knife, which the latter managed to wrestle away from Ryan. Police said Jerri stabbed Ryan with the knife multiple times, KSEE a NBC-affiliate reported.

At a news conference, Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer called the good Samaritan Jerri a "hero," who came forward to stop the robbery. None of the customers or staff at the coffee shop were hurt. However, Ryan's parents, Pamela Chimenti and Mark Flores referred to Jerri's action as a "clear case of excessive force."

They said that their son almost died in the emergency room due to the injuries caused by Jerri and that the 58-year-old man should be charged with committing a more serious offense than their son.

“Once you have somebody down, you can’t keep stabbing them,” Chimenti said, according to The Fresno Bee.

She said: "The guy [Jerri], in my opinion, went from a good Samaritan to a vigilante. Stabbing somebody that many times, it doesn't take that many stab wounds to get somebody to succumb to you," according to KSEE.

"I understand he [Ryan] robbed the store but [Jerri] stabbed my son 17 times," Mark said, according to The Fresno Bee.

However, Ty Kharazi, an attorney called on to represent Jerri, and Fresno attorney William Schmidt, think otherwise. Both attorneys, including Schmidt, who works on excessive-force cases, said the chances of Jerri facing charges are marginal, according to The Fresno Bee.

Legal analyst Charles Magill also agreed with Kharazi and Schmidt as he said Jerri should not worry about any litigation, according to KSEE.

Magill said: "Good luck finding an attorney that wants to represent a young robber who's going to be convicted of robbery. That's not going to sell very well to the jury."

Meanwhile, Ryan, who is expected to appear in court in October, blamed his dependence on drugs for the robbery attempt. It began when he was prescribed opioids following a motorcycle crash. He also said that he has never been to jail before.

He explained the factors that likely contributed to the failed robbery act in July. He said on the day of the robbery, he was high on methadone as well as a Xanax derivative and alcohol. In addition to that, he was also running short of money. “I was stressed. No money and bills,” he said, according to the Fresno Bee.