San Diego police investigating armed robberies in Midway District, Pacific Beach

Police say two armed men robbed Midway Drive business around 9:15 p.m. Wednesday; two armed men robbed Garnet Avenue business about 10 p.m.
Armed men held up employees at businesses in the Midway District and Pacific Beach Wednesday night, and police believe the same people committed both robberies, officials said.
The first heist occurred about 9:15 p.m. at a liquor store on Midway Drive near Kemper Street, San Diego police Officer John Buttle said. One man armed with a gun grabbed the clerk at Sonny’s Liquor while the second took money from the register.
The clerk suffered a minor scratch to his neck. The robbers were last seen running west on Midway Drive.
About 45 minutes later, just after 10 p.m., and about 4.5 miles away from the first robbery, two men held up employees of a smoke shop on Garnet Avenue between Dawes and Everts streets, Buttle said. While the clerk at the Mart to Mart Smoke Shop & Vape was finishing up with a customer, the two walked behind the counter and one of the men pointed a gun at the clerk.
The clerk backed away from the counter and the two robbers took money from the register, as well as a bong and vapes. They made off with an undetermined amount of money. The clerk was uninjured.
The two robberies were believed to have been committed by the same men, said San Diego police Officer Tony Martinez.
Updates
4:33 p.m. July 29, 2021: This story was updated with additional information from San Diego police.