Robber shoots man, man shoots robber in Delano

A robber shot and critically wounded an employee of Ruben’s Mexican Restaurant in Delano on Friday night, Wichita police said. The victim, who was carrying a gun, returned fire, hitting the robber, police said.

The call came to emergency dispatchers just after 10:10 p.m. The robber’s bullet hit the victim, 58, in the upper left arm outside the restaurant near Seneca and Douglas, emergency dispatchers said. Within minutes, police had barricaded nearby streets as they searched for the robber.

Several other employees were in the restaurant during the robbery, said Wichita police Sgt. Nikki Woodrow.

The robber walked in and demanded money while an employee was taking out trash after the restaurant had closed, Woodrow said.

Not long after the first call, emergency dispatchers sent officers to a reported shooting in the 1000 block of East Eightth St. North, Woodrow said. Officers found a man, 26, with a gunshot wound who matched the description of the robber from the Ruben’s shooting.

The victim and robbery suspect were taken to area hospitals, the employee in critical but stable condition, the suspect in serious but stable condition, Woodrow said. The suspect will be questioned and booked into jail after his release from the hospital, she said.

This story was originally published June 10, 2017 at 8:34 AM with the headline "Robber shoots man, man shoots robber in Delano."