Store Clerk: Robber "Cried For His Momma" After Being Pepper Sprayed

Police said a robber cried for his “momma” when his plan was derailed by a courageous store clerk.

Giovanni Davenport is accused of threatening the clerk with an ax and demanding cash from the register at Portland Express Mart near N.W. 36th and Portland, Tuesday afternoon.

The clerk, Ali Ait Mahdi was not intimidated. Instead, he took matters into his own hands.

2/18/15 Related Story: OCPD: Robbery Suspect Pepper-Sprayed, Stumbles Into Arms Of FBI Agents

"In situations like that you always fight for yourself, your life," Ait Mahdi said, "you can't help it, it's an instinct."

Ait Mahdi said he threatened to shoot the thief.

"He said give me the money. He didn't care when I told him I had a gun, so someone was really willing to die or get shot for nothing," Ait Mahdi said he didn't actually pull a gun on the thief but reached behind the counter for the next best thing, pepper spray.

"As soon as I saw his eyes the only thing I could think was to spray him," Ait Mahdi explained, "I didn't think about the ax."

Davenport allegedly started swinging the ax when he was blinded by the pepper spray. According to police, he struck the top of the counter and toppled some displays but no one was hurt.

"I really thank God nothing happened because situations like this you really don't know," said Ait Mahdi.

After 30 seconds inside the store, police said Davenport stumbled out the door and straight into the arms of two FBI agents.

The agents told investigators Davenport was throwing up and crying for his momma until police arrived to arrest him.

Ait Mahdi does not have any sympathy for the suspect," he was crying for his momma, but we all have parents, we all have bills, we all have problems”. He said, "Some of us get up at six in the morning to work and some of us get up at 1 to go rob somebody else that's the way life is”.

Davenport was arrested and booked in the Oklahoma County Jail on complaints of assault with a dangerous weapon while wearing a mask, and robbery with a weapon.

His bond is set at $50,000.