Teen Charged In Culpeper Va. Grocery Shooting

CULPEPER, Va. (WUSA) - Police have charged an 18 year old Culpeper man after a robbery and  shooting at a Culpeper grocery store at 10:30 am on Wednesday.  A store clerk was shot and seriously wounded in the incident. 

Stephen Raymond Leavell, of the 200 block of East Williams Street, was charged with armed robbery, aggravated malicious wounding, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, use of a sawed-off shotgun, and other charges.

A witness who was buying a newspaper at the West Side Store told 9 News Now that he heard, "This is a f___ hold up.   I'm not joking. Give me you f_____ money!"  

Police say the clerk did as he was told, but was shot anyway.  Wally Bunker, spokesman for the town of Culpeper, tells 9NEWS NOW that the gunman used a sawed-off shot gun and severely wounded the clerk, a 49-year-old father of  three.  The witness, who was trained in first aid, helped save the man by stopping the bleeding.

Bunker says the shooting victim was airlifted to the University of  Virginia medical center in Charlottesville.

The suspect fled the store, a neighbor chased him  but lost him.  Police from the town of Culpeper, Culpeper county Sheriffs Department and Virginia State police tracked down the suspect a few blocks away. 

Leavell is being held without bond on the charges. He is scheduled for arraignment in general district court at 8:30. a.m., Thursday, Nov. 12.

The West Side Grocery is a "mom & pop" type store on Route 522 in the town of Culpeper located close to the main downtown area.

The clerk has undergone several surgeries and is said to be in stable condition.