Police charge and release name of alleged needle-carrying robber, threatened by armed victim

Horry County police have charged a man in connection with the attempted robbery that happened on Saturday at a Socastee ATM where the armed victim pulled out her gun in defense of the alleged robber’s needle, said Lt. Raul Denis.

Justin Lee Abernathy, 24, of Conway has been charged with one count of armed robbery with alleged deadly weapon in connection with the incident, said Denis.

Abernathy is being held at the J. Reuben Long Detention Center, and no bail had been set as of Thursday morning, according to jail records.

Horry County police were initially called about 9 a.m. March 7 to Coalition Drive and Socastee Boulevard, where a 40-year-old victim reported the incident.

The victim told police she was withdrawing cash from an ATM at a bank near Socastee Boulevard when a man approached her and demanded she give her money or he would inject her with a needle that he was carrying, police said.

The victim said that she grabbed her handgun once the suspect threatened her and said, “I dare you to stab me.” The suspect then said “Are you seriously going to do that to me,” and ran off, according to the report.

The victim called 911 and tried to follow the suspect but couldn’t find him.

Police searched the area for the alleged robber, but couldn’t locate him just after the incident.

This story was originally published March 10, 2015 at 6:17 AM with the headline "Police charge and release name of alleged needle-carrying robber, threatened by armed victim."