Hawaii County police honored four citizens this week for their efforts in foiling a robbery attempt at a Hilo pharmacy in February.

During a ceremony Tuesday at the Hilo police station, Chief Harry Kubojiri presented Certificates of Merit to Thomas Moyer, Robin Reed, Grant Tioganco and Alison Taylor.

Moyer and Taylor were working at Windward Pharmacy in the Puainako Town Center when a man armed with a rifle entered the store and demanded drugs.

The man threatened Moyer and struck Taylor in the back with the weapon.

Police said Taylor and Moyer then struggled with the man. Taylor managed to pull the man's hands from the weapon, and Moyer gained control of the gun and threw it aside.

The man then headed toward an exit door in an attempt to escape.

Reed, who works at Puainako Town Center, saw the armed man enter the pharmacy and immediately called 911. When he saw the man trying to leave, Reed entered the pharmacy, knocked the man down and pinned him to the floor.

Tioganco, another worker at the center, saw the struggle and also entered the pharmacy to help Reed and Moyer subdue the man.

"You demonstrated extraordinary bravery and great personal courage," Kubojiri told the four.

"As a result of your actions, the suspect in this case was disarmed, subdued and detained until police arrived."