Police searching for suspect in tobacco store robbery

Police are searching for the man who robbed a north Knoxville tobacco store around noon on Tuesday. The clerk told authorities the suspect walked into the Tobacco King, 2001 N. Broadway, and tried buying a soda with some change. When he opened the cash register, the suspect reportedly came around the counter and pointed a black semi-automatic gun at him. The suspect grabbed cash from the register and took off on foot.

Witnesses said they saw the suspect get into a cream, mid-90s minivan with maroon stripes and took off heading south on Broadway. The suspect was described as a clean-shaven, white man six feet tall around 200 lbs. in his mid-30s with short dark hair and blue eyes. He was wearing blue jeans, a blue long sleeve shirt with stripes, and a dark color t-shirt underneath.