Photographed by: Tyson Thorp, Jason Garrison
It's unimaginable – a couple of Boy Scouts and their dads out selling Christmas trees for $25 each – ripped off by three guys armed with a sawed-off shotgun.
It happened around 9 p.m. Monday night at 1906 West Galbraith Road, near Betts Avenue in North College Hill, just as they were getting ready to shut down for the night.
9News spoke with one of the boys and his father.
"At first I thought it was just a joke, but then I saw the gun and I was terrified," said John Hancock, Jr., of Boy Scout Troop 393.
"And when I saw the gun –and this guy punched me right here [pointing to his left cheek] – and it knocked me down," he said. "I wasn't unconscious or anything, but it was freaky. This was my first time being in an actual robbery."
And he is all of 13-years of age. The boys are with Boy Scout Troop 393 of St. Margaret Mary Church.
They say three men appeared out of nowhere, pointed the gun at the men, then turned and pointed the gun at the two boys.
That's when one father tried to grab the gunman.
They exchanged a few blows, then the three men grabbed the money and ran off.
The father jumped in a car and tried to follow the three suspects.
Police were there within minutes, but the thieves got away.
They made off with $350.
"It's one thing for your own safety, but when somebody has a sawed-off shotgun pointed at your own son, the first thing you think of is to protect your child, so I went after them," said the boy's father, John Hancock, Sr.
"I got within three-feet of that shotgun and I thought for sure I was dead," said Hancock, "but he wasn't gonna get my kid."
The boy scouts told 9News that this is their biggest fundraiser of the year, and they plan to be back here tomorrow night.
If you have any information about this crime, please call Crime Stoppers at (513) 352-3040 or text (513) 352-3050. You don't have to give your name and you may be eligible for a reward if your tips lead to an arrest.
