OCALA, Fla. — Surveillance video captured armed robbers holding a 9-year-old girl and her mother at gunpoint Monday inside a an Ocala Dollar General store.
The Marion County Sheriff's Office said the men remain at large after robbing employees at the store on Marion Oaks Manor.
Deputies said one of the men pointed a gun at the child and ordered her to the floor, while gathering the others and forcing them to the front.
"It's a terrifying video to watch for almost everybody. You can think of someone in your life you know that you can compare that to," Lauren Lettelier of the Marion County Sheriff's Office said.
Authorities said they are working on a few leads.
"That's why we put this video out there," Lettelier said. "This little girl will never forget this. This will traumatize her for the rest of her life."
The men escaped with an undisclosed amount of money.
"Our desire is overwhelming to catch these two individuals and get them off the streets," said Lettelier.
Investigators said they are searching for two men in their 20s, both of average height and with slight builds.
One of the men was described as black, wearing all black clothing and a bandanna covering his face. The other man is white, was wearing dark gray clothing and also had his face covered.
The culprits might be driving a black sedan with what was described as a "horizontal" taillight, and may be familiar with the area of Marion Oaks, deputies said.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers of Marion County at 352-368-STOP or 352-368-7867.
Text tips to 274637 using keyword 368stop. Tips can also be submitted at www.ocalacrimestoppers.com. For Crime Stoppers, reference 16-105 in the tip.
Anyone reporting a tip that leads to an arrest might be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.
Cox Media Group