Child, adults held at gunpoint during Va. beauty supply store robbery

MOUNT VERNON, Va. - It was a frightening moment at an Alexandria beauty supply shop when a man forced three people into a back room, including a 7-year-old girl, at gunpoint during a robbery.

It all happened at around 11:15 a.m. Tuesday at the Beauty Island store located in the 7800 block of Richmond Highway.

FOX 5 spoke with the shop owner about the scary incident. She told us that she was in the store with another employee and the employee's 7-year-old daughter when the suspect wearing a mask came through the front door with a gun.

The man pointed the gun directly at the owner's head and forced her to turn over money from a safe and the cash register inside the beauty shop. After taking the money, the suspect forced all three people into the bathroom.

Police said the suspect is described as a black male between 25 and 35 years old. He is about 5'10" tall and has a muscular build. He was wearing a black ski mask, a white shirt and black pants.

Fortunately, no one was injured during the terrifying ordeal. The owner said the time when she got really concerned was when he pointed the gun right at her face in the bathroom and told her not to leave for at least ten minutes. She said that she waited in that bathroom for 15 to 20 minutes just to be on the safe side.

If you recognize him, or if you have any information about the suspect, please contact Detective J. Hoffman at (703) 246-7800. You may also contact Crime Solvers of Fairfax County by phone at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477), via web-based email at http://www.fairfaxcrimesolvers.org or, text "TIP187" plus your message* to CRIMES (274637). Tipsters who provide their information through Crime Solvers are eligible for a cash reward of $100 to $1,000 if their information leads to an arrest. Tipsters remain anonymous and never have to give their names or appear in court.