When Mini's Deli in the West End was robbed Sunday night for the third time since summer, the owners knew what to do.

        They wrestled the masked gunman to the ground, grabbed his gun and tied him up until police arrived.

        “We don't encourage people to try to disarm robbers but it turned out really good tonight,” Cincinnati Police Sgt. David Johnston said.

        Falou Diouf and his brother, Samba Krure, were inside their deli at 1711 Freeman Ave. when they say Ronald Thompson burst in just after 8 p.m. with a 9mm handgun.

        “He just pulled a gun and said "Give me the money! Give me the money!'” said Mr. Diouf, 46. “Then he fired shots twice. We jumped on him and tied him up with rope.”

        No injuries were reported. The bullets hit a cooler and soda cans sitting out in the store, Sgt. Johnston said.

        “He tried to kill us. It was hard to take his gun,” said Mr. Krure, 49. “We fought very, very hard. He said, "Don't call the police! Don't call the police!'”

        The previous two robbers last summer escaped, including one who snatched money from the open cash register as Mr. Diouf gave a customer change.

        But this time, he and his brother recognized Mr. Thompson, who lives up the street in the 1900 block of Freeman Avenue and has visited the deli before.

        “I told him, "You come here and want to kill somebody, that's not nice,'” Mr. Diouf said. “We couldn't get the other ones. That's why we didn't want to let this one go.”

        Mr. Thompson, 27, was charged with two counts of felonious assault and one count each of aggravated robbery and having weapons under disability.

        He served 18 months in a state prison between 1997-99 after convictions for robbery and drug trafficking, Ohio court records show.

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