Orange Park attempted robber killed by clerk

A clerk shot and killed a man who pulled a gun on him during an attempted robbery at an Orange Park food store Saturday, deputies said.

Clay County deputies said the clerk at Prime Stop Food Store on Peoria Road was suspicious after a man walked into the store wearing sunglasses around midnight.

Deputies said 29-year-old William Smith pulled out a gun and tried to rob the store.

The clerk, who had a concealed carry permit, grabbed his own gun and shot the man, deputies said.

Deputies found Smith lying on the ground next to a small-caliber handgun.

He was pronounced dead at the store, deputies said.

Deputies said the car the suspect drove to the store was running in the parking lot.

Smith's family said he was addicted to drugs.

"In all honesty, if he didn’t die this way, he would have ended up dying," his sister Lisa Marie said. "He would have ended up killing himself on drugs."

His mother Tamara Cartrette said their family has no hard feelings toward the clerk.

“We have no ill will against the person that felt they had to retaliate because he had the gun," she said. "Our heart goes out to that family also.”

The attempted robbery was caught on surveillance video but deputies have not yet released the footage.