This morning two clerks at two different service stations were pepper sprayed and robbed by the same suspect within minutes of each other on Pacific Highway. A manhunt is underway by the Des Moines Police Department at the moment.

The incidents began this morning (the time is still unverified, but before 9 a.m.) at the 7-11 located at 260th and Pacific Highway S. when a white or Hispanic male in his 50s with greying hair, a dark blue Seahawks hat, and wearing a grey sweatshirt with jeans entered the convenience store. The man walked up to the clerk and pepper sprayed him at close range and reached over the counter to steal money from his cash register.

Within the hour this same suspect entered the Shell station convenience store at S. 272nd, a little under a mile away from the 7-11, and asked the female clerk for prices on cigarettes. As she was looking this information up on her computer the suspect placed some money on the counter. When the clerk opened up the cash till the suspect brought out the pepper spray and doused the clerk in the face, same as the previous victim. He again reached over the counter, grabbed the money and ran.

Both victims were taken by ambulance to a local hospital. Neither victim recognized the suspect as a previous customer. A K-9 unit was dispatched and picked up a trail for a short time but soon lost it.

This is a developing story that will be updated as more information becomes available.