Victoria Lundy, a mother of five, was working at Statesville Discount Tobacco and Vape on Sunday, Nov. 8, when the robbery occurred, according to Statesville police. She told local reporters she initially believed she had been shot in the head.

The blow left her with injuries that required more than two dozen stitches to her head and face. Lundy said she is grateful she did not suffer serious brain damage.

"The whole adrenaline, everything, was, 'I have to make it out alive. That's all I have to do,'" Lundy said.

Police said the masked man fled with an undisclosed amount of cash. Investigators have released surveillance images showing the suspect dressed entirely in black and wearing a mask.

As she bled from her wounds, Lundy said her thoughts turned to her children. She was relieved that some of them had not accompanied her to work that day, as they sometimes did.

"I have to stay awake, because I have to get home to my kids," she recounted. "That was the only thing that kept me going."

Lundy is now urging anyone who recognizes the suspect to contact authorities, warning that the attacker could strike again.

"I want him caught. I don't want to be scared to go back to work," she said. "I 100% think he'll do this again if he hasn't already done this again. And it's not worth it to anybody. We need to catch him."

Statesville police are asking anyone with information about the robbery or the suspect's identity to come forward. No arrests had been announced as of Wednesday.

The attack has shaken a community of small-business workers who often labor alone or in small teams, and it underscores the risks faced by retail employees during violent encounters. Lundy said she hopes sharing her experience will help spare others from similar harm.