A masked gunman robbed several patrons of a bar near the University of Minnesota but missed out on the establishment's cash drawer, thanks to a fast-acting and fleet-footed bartender, authorities and witnesses said Tuesday.
The holdup of Sporty's Pub and Grill in the 2100 block of Como Avenue SE. occurred shortly after 11:30 p.m. Monday.
The suspected gunman, a 36-year-old man from Columbia Heights, was arrested, along with a 22-year-old man from Minneapolis, police said.
Sporty's regular Jacob Crowley, who lives down the street, said he was at a table with friends when he saw the bartender scoot out the back with a petty cash drawer about the size of a lunchbox.
"He did what he did, and everything turned out fine," said Crowley, a 22-year-old student at a technical college studying to be a firefighter.
Sporty's Mark O'Meara said that the policy at his business is "under those circumstances … comply with anyone who is being an aggressor. No one's life is worth a couple hundred dollars."
Once the cash drawer was out of his reach, the suspect turned his attention to Crowley's table of six young adults in a back corner.
"We see this guy with a gun, and we all sat quietly," he said. "He points the gun at me and says, 'Give me everything.' He grabs my phone and proceeds to take everyone's wallets and cellphones."
