A pair of 7-Eleven clerks in Tribeca found themselves in a bizarre and tense situation when they took matters into their own hands to defend their store from a man claiming to be Saudi royalty. In a shocking video posted on Reddit, the store employees are seen wielding makeshift weapons, including a stick, a dustpan, and a long piece of plastic, as they engage in a standoff with the unhinged individual.

The Confrontation: The incident, captured by musician Rick Habeeb during a routine coffee run, unfolded at the Broadway location of the popular convenience store. The video shows the clerks guarding the store’s entrance in a roughly 3-minute-long standoff with the agitated man, who repeatedly tries to re-enter while screaming at the exhausted staffers. The employees, undeterred, use their improvised tools to keep him at bay.

Claims of Royalty: During the confrontation, the man, dressed in a red-and-black jacket and sweatpants, bizarrely claims to be Saudi royalty. He identifies himself as “Mohammed Bin Salman” and asserts that the clerks are in serious trouble. The individual continues to shout and scream, referring to the Saudi Arabian prince as his “brother” and “cousin.”

The Escalation: Rick Habeeb, who witnessed the incident, explained that the deranged man became unruly after realizing that one of the clerks had been watching him. The situation escalated quickly, with the man shouting warnings and the clerks grabbing their makeshift weapons from behind the store’s grill.

Community Challenges: Habeeb, a regular customer at the Broadway 7-Eleven, highlighted that the store has been plagued by crime and chaos, with incidents such as broken doors and shattered glass being a common occurrence. He noted that the employees likely deal with challenging situations regularly.

Police Response: Following the man’s departure, police officers briefly showed up, according to Habeeb. However, an NYPD spokesperson stated that no complaints or reports had been filed, and the store employee who answered the phone claimed to have no knowledge of the incident.

Citywide Vigilantism: This incident is among several recent examples of vigilantism in New York City, as residents and store employees find themselves compelled to take action in the face of escalating incidents. The heightened sense of vigilance is underscored by recent events, including a subway vigilante opening fire on a would-be mugger near Times Square.