Faced

with a knife-wielding intruder early Tuesday

morning, a clerk at the Second Store Amoco

convenience store escaped serious injury by

activating a panic alarm to scare off the

intruder, police said.

The

would-be robber got away from the store at 1866

Ga. Highway 85 north empty-handed before deputies

arrived, said Lt. Mahlon Donald of the Fayette

County Sheriff's Department. Officers were unable

to locate the suspect at the scene despite a

search using trained dogs, Donald said. The

dogs could not pick up the trail left by the

attacker, he added.

Investigators

believe the attacker had a vehicle parked across

the street which was used to flee the scene.

Though

the business has a "night window" to

use for transactions with customers, the attacker

forced his way into the store, Donald said.

The

clerk, Ruby Gibson, 45, received a cut on her

hand during a struggle with the attacker, but

Donald was unsure if it was caused by the knife.

The wound was not serious enough to warrant

medical treatment, the lieutenant said.

The

knife has not been recovered, Donald added.

Investigators

planned to create a composite sketch of the

attacker's face Tuesday afternoon to aid in

making a possible arrest.

The

incident was caught on the store's video

surveillance system and the tape will be enhanced

to get a better look at the attacker, Donald

said.

The

suspect was described by Donald as a black male,

about 5 feet 9 inches, wearing a yellow shirt and

tan pants.

If

an arrest is made, the suspect will likely be

charged with criminal attempt to commit armed

robbery and aggravated assault, Donald said.

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