Armed man tried to steal medicine from Walgreens
An armed man tried to steal oxycodone and lorazepam from the Walgreens at 222 E. Broadway Saturday night.
Ronald K. Taylor, 47, of 4100 W. Worley St., approached the pharmacy counter at Walgreens and told the pharmacist he had a firearm and would kill either the pharmacist or himself if he was not given painkillers, stated a news release from the Columbia Police Department.
The pharmacist went to the front of the store and called 911 and told other employees to leave the store after Taylor climbed over the pharmacy counter.
After officers entered the Walgreens, Taylor called 911 and said he had cancer and was in pain. He said officers should stay away, but officers were able to establish voice and limited visual contact with Taylor, the news release stated.
Taylor kept taking painkillers while talking with police and slumped to the floor and was taken into custody around 20 minutes after the first 911 call.
Taylor was armed with a large, fixed blade knife but police did not find a firearm, the news release stated.
Taylor was taken to University Hospital for treatment. Police are seeking warrants to charge Taylor with first-degree pharmacy robbery and armed criminal action.