Attempted robbery at pot dispensary in NW Fresno

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After getting locked out of the building, the suspect ran away. Mims said where he ran is an example of why dispensaries don't belong in residential areas. "Again, my concern is when he ran south, he ran into the Old Fig Garden residential area, and those residents have also raised and expressed their concern about their safety of a dispensary being in this area," said Mims.

Tuesday night, just hours after her son was threatened by a gun, the dispensary's operator spoke to Action News. She and her attorney are hoping what happened Tuesday won't be used against dispensary operators who are only trying to help their patients. "This is a great opportunity for them to jump on it and say, see, 'I told you, this bad. This is going to bring crime to the neighborhood,'" said Central Valley Collective Director Linda Nebeker. Nebeker said her dispensary has an extensive verification process and does all it can to protect patient safety.

Attorney Brenda Linder said local dispensaries are doing all they can to self-regulate, because the county won't. "If a medical marijuana collective is where Sheriff Margaret Mims doesn't feel is quite as appropriate as another area might be it would simply be because they failed to regulate all along," said attorney Brenda Linder.

The sheriff said if the county board of supervisors agrees to allow dispensaries in the county, location should be the top priority. At least one neighbor agreed the dispensaries don't belong in residential neighborhoods. "If it's medical marijuana, why can't they go to the drug store to get medical? Not specialized places, so we don't have this kind of problem," said Fig Garden resident Akiko Hustedde.

Fresno County Sheriff's Deputies said an off duty officer and her K-9 helped recover the weapon used by the suspect. Investigators are still looking for a second man who may or may have not been involved in the attempted robbery.