HOBBSVILLE – The owner of a general store near here shot and killed two Perquimans County brothers during an alleged armed robbery early Tuesday evening.

Gates County Sheriff Ed Webb confirmed the identities of the two suspects Wednesday afternoon, reporting they were 20-year-old Eddie Felton and his 17-year-old brother, Quentin, both of the Winfall community.

When the story first broke on www.r-cnews.com Tuesday night, Webb did not know the identity of the two suspects, saying that neither were carrying identification when their bodies were discovered following the alleged robbery. Both suspects died of gunshot wounds.

Webb said the two suspects, both black males, entered Joppa Store, located off Acorn Hill Road in the southeastern corner of Gates County, at around 6 p.m. Tuesday.

“Both had their faces covered by bandanas and pointed a gun in the face of the store owner and told him they would kill him if he didn’t hand over the money in the cash register,” Webb said.

Webb added that the two suspects then began to beat the store owner, so much to the point where the Sheriff stated that the victim was “all black and blue from bruising on his body.”

“They beat him down to the floor, kicking and stomping him in the back of the head and in his ribs,” Webb said. “It was at that point where the store owner reached under the counter, while lying on the floor, for a weapon he kept there. He blindly fired a shot at one of the assailants, striking him in the abdomen.”

Despite the bullet wound, Webb said that suspect was able to exit the store.

“At that point the second suspect was at or near the door and pointed his weapon at the store owner,” Webb said. “The store owner then fired three shots at that suspect.”

Webb said by the time the owner exited his store he discovered one of the suspects lying in the parking lot.

“That suspect was deceased,” Webb said.

Meanwhile, the second suspect was nowhere to be found.

“My officers arrived and secured the scene,” Webb said. “At that point we began to track the whereabouts of the second suspect and found him deceased in a wooded area about 150 yards from the store.”

The Sheriff identified the store owner as 60-year-old Duanne Ammann, who was treated and released from Albemarle Hospital in Elizabeth City later Tuesday night.

When asked if Ammann would face any charges, Webb said that matter will be determined by the local District Attorney.

Webb stated on Tuesday night that the Perquimans County Sheriff had received information from family members in that county regarding the fact that they could not get in touch with the two brothers. The Sheriff confirmed that after speaking to those family members they came to the crime scene and positively identified the Felton brothers.

In another twist to the story, Webb said he believed there was a third suspect involved, possibly someone driving what was to be used as the get-away vehicle. Webb asked those living in the area of Joppa Store to contact his office (252-357-0210) if they can shed any light on that assumption.

North Carolina SBI crime scene technicians arrived on the scene Tuesday night and began their part of the investigation, which Webb said is ongoing.

Assisting Webb and his officers in the immediate investigation were law enforcement officials from Hertford, Pasquotank, Chowan and Perquimans sheriff’s offices as well as the Edenton Police Department.

“We’ve learned that the MO (Method of Operation) used by the suspects in this robbery is closely matched with those of at least two other recent convenience store robberies – one in Pasquotank County and the other in Edenton,” Webb said. “We’re working to see if those are connected with the Joppa Store case.”