Two felony charges for man accused of robbing store, stabbing employee

A Lacey man was charged with two felonies after allegedly robbing a grocery store and stabbing an employee who attempted to stop him.

Omri Patrick Zeledon, 21, was charged with first-degree robbery and felony harassment – threat to kill by the Thurston County Prosecuting Attorney on July 15.

Zeledon was arrested on July 12 after a reported physical disturbance at the Safeway on the 3200 block of Harrison Avenue SW in Olympia.

A loss prevention officer for the store told police that he attempted to stop a man, later identified as Zeledon, from stealing multiple food products.

The suspect then punched him in the face three times, took out a knife, and made statements such as “Do you want me to kill you?” and “Let’s go motherf*cker,” the employee said.

The employee said the items fell on the floor while Zeledon was holding the knife. At this point, the employee recounted, he tried to grab the suspect’s wrist to prevent him from using the knife, but Zeledon moved, causing him to grab the blade instead.

Zeledon pulled away while the employee was still holding the blade, causing a small laceration, according to the police report.

Police located Zeledon at Yauger Park. When officers approached, the suspect told them they had no business talking to him.

When police informed him that he matched the description of a suspect involved in the Safeway stabbing, Zeledon responded with, “What knife?,”

“That guy attacked me! I can’t use self-defense?” police reported Zeledon saying.

Officers noted that Zeledon repeatedly made statements about the incident being a matter of self-defense. The suspect also claimed that the Safeway employee “stabbed himself.” He also told police to let him go as they had “the wrong guy.”

The employee positively identified Zeledon as the man who attacked him.

Zeledon was booked into the Thurston County Jail for first-degree robbery, first-degree assault, and harassment – threats to kill.