Masked Gunman Robs Dollar General Clerk at Gunpoint in Jacksonboro

A masked gunman walked into the Dollar General at 16483 Ace Basin Parkway in Jacksonboro at 8:58 p.m. Wednesday and robbed a clerk at gunpoint, stealing cash from both the store register and the safe before fleeing on foot. The Colleton County Sheriff's Office is actively searching for the suspect.

What the incident reveals, moment by moment, is a textbook progression that every associate working a closing shift should know how to navigate.

The suspect entered the store layered in concealment: a mask, a hat, sunglasses, and gloves, all worn simultaneously. For any employee who spots someone entering with that combination of identity-obscuring items, especially near close, the first action is internal awareness. Note the details: approximate height, build, clothing colors, footwear. Do not confront or follow. If a panic button or silent alarm is accessible without drawing attention, this is the moment to use it.

Once inside, the suspect pointed the gun directly at the store clerk and demanded money. The guiding principle at this stage is non-negotiation: comply immediately, keep hands visible, speak only in short calm responses. No register drawer, no safe, and no deposit bag is worth a confrontation with an armed suspect. Dollar General's own loss-prevention guidance consistently reinforces this point, and the Colleton County incident bore it out: the clerk was not reported injured.

The suspect stole an undisclosed amount of cash from both the store safe and the cash register before leaving. Associates should not attempt to block access to either the register or the back office. Once a weapon is present, the priority shifts entirely to observation: watch where the suspect moves, what he touches, and what he takes. That information becomes the foundation of the investigation.

After taking the cash, the suspect fled the scene on foot. The moment a suspect exits, lock the door if it can be done without exposure, call 911 immediately, and do not follow. Give dispatchers the direction of flight, a physical description, and the exact time. Preserve everything the suspect may have touched, including any items he moved or surfaces near the register and safe. Do not clean up or reorganize before deputies arrive and document the scene.

When Colleton County deputies responded, they began an active search of the area. Cooperate fully with investigators, provide a written account while details are fresh, and ask a manager or district supervisor to pull camera footage before it overwrites.

The hours and days after an armed robbery matter as much as the incident itself. Dollar General's Employee Assistance Program provides confidential counseling and crisis support; associates should not wait for symptoms of stress or anxiety to escalate before using it. Supervisors should offer paid time off to any employee directly involved and conduct a structured debrief within 24 hours covering what happened, what the response was, and what gaps the incident exposed. Camera angles, exterior lighting around the Ace Basin Parkway entrance, and safe-access procedures are all worth reviewing before the next shift begins.

Anyone with information on the Jacksonboro robbery is asked to contact the Colleton County Sheriff's Office.