A patron at a St. Louis bar appeared unfazed — even lighting up a cigarette — when an armed man entered the building and robbed customers at gunpoint.
According to local station KSDK, the gunman showed up to Behrmann’s Tavern and ordered patrons and staff to the ground and asked them to hand over their cash and cellphones.
But in video footage of the incident, Tony Tovar did not move from his seat and wrestled his phone back after the robber tried to take it from him. Tovar lit a cigarette and began smoking as the man moved to the other side of the bar while pointing his gun at him.
“I said not another punk trying to pull a punk move,” Tovar said. “I’m so tired of people in south city trying to muscle their way in with firearms or bad attitude or some kind of aggression. I wasn’t gonna comply.”
The man left the bar with $300 from the cash register, according to reports. No one was harmed.
“I wasn’t really concerned,” Tovar told the station. “I just had a really good feeling he wasn’t out to harm anybody. He just wanted drug money.”
KSDK reported that Kevin Moore was arrested and charged in connection to the robbery. Authorities said Moore has a history with convictions for assault, robbery, and weapons possession.
Tovar, however, did not recommend to viewers to act as he did in the moment.
“It’s probably not in your best interest if they have a loaded firearm, I wouldn’t suggest that to just anybody,” he said.
