Ohio Circle K clerk fired after shooting at gas station robbers

An Ohio gas station worker claims he was fired after shooting at a group of masked men who rammed a minivan into a store during a robbery attempt, the New York Post reported. The clerk, 41-year-old Kendrick Watson, was sitting behind the register at a Circle K in Stow, Ohio, around 3:30 a.m. on November 2, 2026, when the incident occurred. [1]

Police stated, according to 3News as cited by the New York Post, that four would-be robbers repeatedly drove a stolen minivan into the storefront. The impact shattered the glass entrance and dislodged an automated teller machine inside the store. A second minivan then pulled up outside the convenience store, and four masked men jumped out of the vehicle and rushed toward the entrance. [1]

Watson stated that he grabbed his gun and fired seven shots at the men, sending the crew fleeing. He stated that he did what he did to protect himself and his coworker. [1]

Cedarnews.net also reported on the termination of Watson following the incident. Similar storefront ramming incidents have occurred elsewhere, as FTMQ News reported earlier when a Lynnwood, Washington jewelry store owner opened fire on masked suspects who drove a pickup truck into his business. [1][2][5]