Robber shoots Fernley liquor store owner

A Fernley man was recovering Tuesday after being shot twice during an armed robbery of his liquor store Monday night.

Owner Tarsem Singh, 36, sustained gunshot wounds to the upper torso and left arm in the

9 p.m. robbery at Sierra Discount Liquor near the Fernley swimming pool on Highway 95 Alternate, said Lyon County Sheriff's Lt. Bryan Veil.

According to Veil, Singh was alone in the business cleaning up around the slot machines when a masked man entered the store and demanded money.

The man then pulled a handgun from his waistband and ran behind the counter.

"Our victim ended up grabbing a bottle of liquor and held it up and that's when shots started flying," said Veil.

After firing several shots, the robber fled empty-handed.

Store surveillance cameras captured the shooting and also showed that a few moments later a group of teenagers walked into the store. They left after the owner, suffering from gunshot wounds, told them the store was closed, said Veil.

Singh then called police.

The suspect is described as

5-feet-5-inches tall. He was wearing black baggy pants, a gray hooded sweatshirt, gray gloves and a blue bandanna covering his face from the nose down. He also had his hair covered by an unknown colored bandanna. His ethnicity is not known, said Veil.

A witness came forward Tuesday and reported seeing a subject matching that description running from the area.

Veil said anyone with information on the shooting should call dispatch at 775-577-5023.

He also hopes that the group who entered the store after the shooting would come forward for an interview.

Singh underwent emergency surgery Monday night and was expected to be released Tuesday night.

Wife Kaul Singh said she and her husband have two children. The couple lives in Fernley. She directed any other questions to her husband who could not be reached for comment.