Police are investigating a robbery in west Lawrence, and owners of a deli there said that they were the victims of the violent crime, which happened right outside their business.

About 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, police responded to the 2300 block of Wakarusa Drive, where a 56-year-old man reported that multiple suspects entered his parking lot and stole his wife’s purse, Officer Drew Fennelly of the Lawrence Police Department said, in an email response to an inquiry from the Journal-World. The victim told police that he confronted one suspect, grabbed onto the door of the suspect’s dark blue SUV and was knocked to the ground as the SUV fled. The SUV, which had at least one other person inside, also struck the victim’s vehicle as it fled.

The victim reported minor injuries but declined medical attention, Fennelly said.

On the Facebook page of Auntie Em’s Deli and Bakery, 2311 Wakarusa Drive, Crystal Voth, who owns the business with her husband, Joe, said it was a terrifying incident.

“My husband was dragged away with such force that when their car slammed him against a curb the back door handle broke off in his hand,” the post said. “Thank God no one was walking in the parking lot as they had no regard for human life! They sped through the parking lot and down Clinton parkway towards K-10.”

According to Auntie Em’s post, the business hopes to obtain some surveillance images. Voth posted later that her purse had been found along the side of the highway and some of her credit cards had been recovered in the parking lot of a mall in Missouri.

— I’m the Journal-World’s public safety reporter. Reach me by email at sshepherd@ljworld.com or by phone at 785-832-7187. I’m also on Twitter, @saramarieshep.