Maplewood Police have reported an attempted armed robbery at a local family-owned business, where the suspect allegedly brandished a firearm and demanded money from the cash register. The incident unfolded when Conchobhar Joseph Morrell, 37, confronted Leo, the man running the establishment, and threatened him with a gun during an attempted holdup.

Leo, preferring to go by his first name for privacy reasons, recounted the harrowing experience, stating, "He told me, 'Give me everything you got - open the register.' I said, 'OK, not a big deal.' I'll give you everything you want, just please put the gun down because I have my daughter with me tonight."

The incident took place when Leo had let his staff leave early and was preparing to leave with his daughter for the evening. The video footage captured at the scene shows Morrell approaching the counter with a gun in hand.

In an effort to protect his daughter, Leo pleaded with the suspect, "I don't want him to come close to my daughter. I told him to stop there; I'll give you everything, but please put the gun down because my daughter is there." However, Morrell did not comply with Leo's request and continued to advance.

During the struggle between Leo and the suspect, Leo's daughter seized a baseball bat from behind the counter and courageously swung it at the assailant. She then sought help while her father continued to grapple with Morrell.

"I love her so much," expressed Leo, expressing his deep affection for his brave daughter. He remained unaware of her actions until they reviewed the security footage together with Maplewood police during their investigation of the attempted robbery.

Upon watching the video, Leo shared his daughter's words, "She told me, 'I wanted my dad safe; I want to help my dad.' It almost made me cry; she's such a strong girl." The incident has touched the hearts of many in the community, leading customers to visit the family business in support of their bravery and resilience.

Further investigation revealed that the apparent firearm used in the attempted robbery was actually a BB gun designed to resemble a Sig Sauer 1911 .45-caliber handgun, according to court documents. Following the incident, Morrell was apprehended near the store and taken into custody.

Court documents also reveal that officers discovered a fresh, bloody scrape beneath Morrell's left eye and dried blood on his lips at the time of his arrest. Additionally, items of clothing worn during the attempted robbery were found in Morrell's car, and his phone was recovered from inside the store.

Conchobhar Joseph Morrell is scheduled to appear in court this Friday morning for further proceedings related to the attempted armed robbery. The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of personal safety and security measures in protecting businesses and their patrons from such dangerous encounters.