Puppies, Kitties, and Cocaine???

You're gonna want to sit down for this story... We had quite the eventful day at the vet clinic on Thursday.  I'm pretty much positive that I can't possibly describe the event in its full craziness.  Nevertheless...

We had just returned from lunch and Aaron, Paisley and I were out in the front of the clinic planting some shrubs to add "curb appeal" as Aaron calls it.  Next thing we know, a young black boy (maybe 15 years old)- let's call him "Target"- runs up to us from across the busy street we're on yelling that someone is trying to kill him and he needs to call 911.  He runs into our clinic with us close behind him.  At this point, we're wondering what this kid is talking about and not taking it very seriously.  However, we're smart enough to go inside with him. 

One of our employees calls 911 and Target asks to call his mom.  In the meantime, we spot the Suspect across the street searching for the boy.  So it's starting to get more believable.  And then we see that the Suspect has a gun.  In full view, in broad daylight.  He's wandering frantically around the carwash with the gun in one hand with a lot of people washing their cars (Side note: reminds me of a song, "washing their cars on their lunchbreaks, washing and scrubbing as best as they can in skirts and suits"). 

Target, who was already freaking out, is now panicked.  He tells us that the Suspect believes that he and his friend robbed his house and he kidnapped the two boys at gunpoint.  Our boy jumped out of the car at the stoplight by us and ran to the clinic.  He says the man has drugs and several guns on him.

The story gets worse...  Now, the man turns his attention towards our clinic and heads across the street.  Our employees and Aaron race to lock the front doors and check the 3 back doors before he can get there.  I went to the back with the boy and Paisley to hide/run depending on what happened next.

Now, you might be thinking it doesn't sound very safe to be hanging out with this strange kid who is being pursued by a gunman.  Yeah, I'd normally agree.  But it was sure safer than being outside.  And he was wearing gym shorts and a T-shirt so I felt pretty good about him not having a gun.  He was a scrawny little scared kid at the moment, who just didn't want to die.  And I couldn't blame him for that!  I did however question him while I had a moment, beginning with "how did you get yourself into this mess?"

The Suspect tried our doors but left when it didn't open, thank goodness!!!  The cops arrive shortly after this and Target goes out front to talk to them.  The Suspect shows up with another lady in a different car.  He ends up getting in a scuffle with the police (in our parking lot) and gets put in the back of the car.  They take Target in the other car.

Later, an officer came back to get statements from all of us, because apparently they found $65,000 worth of cocaine in the car!!!  Not to mention the gun charges, and kidnapping.   So, we're hoping we don't have to testify in court because we really don't want any of these people to see our faces or know our names.  But I'm still glad we let Target come in, because I feel like the Suspect really would have killed him.  And he probably wasn't innocent in the whole mess, but I can't imagine someone so young dying.  I hope he can turn his life around after this...

Two of our clients had to wait in the parking lot until the Suspect was taken into custody because they felt like it was still too unsafe until then.  Great advertisement for the clinic...  :)