Worker Threatened at 7-Eleven Near Eastern Market Metro Station

Items were stolen from the 7-Eleven near the Eastern Market station this morning and a worker was threatened with a knife, police said.

Police are searching for two persons of interest related to the theft and assault at the 429 8th St. SE shop about 12:35 a.m., officers said this afternoon.

Two men walked into the store and stole items, police said. When an employee noticed the theft and followed the men out of the store, one of the men flashed a knife at the employee, MPD spokesman Lt. Sean Conboy said.

Surveillance video shows two men walking in and out of the store.

Store manager Nigist Tadesse said police contacted her about the incident and another at the 407 8th St. NE 7-Eleven location. An employee was assaulted there on Sunday night, forcing the store to close for a few hours, Tadesse said.

Police did not release information on the second incident or say whether the two were related.

Violent crimes in the area are slightly down compared to last year, according to Metropolitan Police Department data. There have been eight violent crimes — four robberies without guns, three robberies with guns and one assault with a deadly weapon — within Police Service Area 107 in the past 30 days. Last year, there were 10 crimes — 8 robberies without guns and two robberies with guns — in that same time period. The 107 area stretches east of the Capitol from roughly 2nd to 13th streets, Massachusetts and Maryland avenues NE, and G Street SE.

The first person of interest sought for the 8th Street SE crime is a black man about 18 years old with a light complexion, Conboy said. The second person is a black man with a light complexion in his mid-20s, the spokesman said.