The tale of a local hero and his machete
Feb 26, 2024, 12:50 PM | Updated: 1:56 pm
Qatamin defends himself from a robbery attempt with a machete. (Photo screenshot of security footage provided by Tacoma Police)
(Photo screenshot of security footage provided by Tacoma Police)
The weapon of choice might be vintage, but it’s as effective in modern times as ever, at least for one Tacoma store owner.
Seventy-year-old Nafi Quatamin owns the Salena One Market in Tacoma. Like many small stores in the area, his market has been targeted for robbery.
“A guy walks into the store and says he is going to rob me,” Quatamin told Jake Skorheim on KIRO Nights. “I say not with that knife. Then I pulled out my machete.”
He purchased the machete to fend off would-be burglars about a year ago. It turned out to be a wise decision, as on February 5, Quatamin was minding the shop when a man pulled a knife on him and attempted to rob the cash register. However, he stood his ground and wielded a machete to defend his livelihood.
“The police found him behind the Bates College down there,” Quatamin said. “They recognized him and took him to the jail. It was about 9:30 in the morning and they released him at 7 in the evening, and told him to go home and be nice.”
Background story: Store owner prevents robbery by bringing a machete to a knife fight
He said that wasn’t the last he would heard from the robber.
“He came to the store again and said ‘I’m gonna come back and rob you again and kill you.'” Quatamin said. “I recognized him and said, ‘Are you serious?’ He said ‘Yes, I’m coming back.'”
Quatamin said he hit them in the chest. Customers held him down until the authorities came.
“This time, the police said he needed help. They took him to the hospital instead.”
For Skorheim, this recalled a popular 80s action comedy:
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