A tattoo artist was robbed at gunpoint by the friend of someone he had tattooed at a Little Rock motel Thursday morning, police said.
The victim, a 40-year-old Little Rock resident, told officers that after finishing up a tattoo inside a room at the Rodeway Inn at 2401 W. 65th St. around 5:25 a.m., the customer advised of a friend who also wanted a tattoo.
The tattoo artist said he did not have time to give a second tattoo, but allowed the friend to look through his tattoo book, according to a Little Rock Police Department report.
The friend, described as “twitchy” and nervous, entered the room and and picked up the book as the tattoo artist was packing up his tools, police said.
A short time later, the report states, the friend brandished a chrome-and-black pistol from his waistband, pulled the slide back and fired a round.
The pistol was pointed at the tattoo artist as the assailant demanded, “Give me whatchu got,” the victim told authorities.
According to the report, the man handed over his wallet, cigarettes and $400 in cash. The robber took the cigarettes and money, but threw the victim’s wallet down, police noted.
The assailant then reportedly ordered the man into a bathroom, where the victim waited until he saw no sign of the robber.
While running out of the room, the assailant noticed and a chase ensued, according to authorities. Police said the victim “ran around the motel a couple of times” to avoid the robber.
The victim said he later noticed the assailant fleeing in a gray “raggedy" Honda with a "bad transmission.”
Authorities described the robber as a black male who stands about 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighs 150 pounds. He wore a light-colored T-shirt and blue jeans at the time.
No suspects were named, and no arrests had been made at the time of the report.
