Clerk pistol-whipped, thrown down stairs

A store clerk was pistol-whipped and thrown down a flight of stairs by three masked gunmen who robbed a Westbury cellphone store Thursday, police said.

The 19-year-old male clerk at the Hot Spot AT&T cellphone store, 496 Old Country Rd., suffered a contusion to his eye, Nassau police said, but after receiving treatment at the scene, declined transportation to a hospital.

After the gunmen pistol-whipped him, they placed the clerk facedown on the floor and tied his hands behind his back, police said.

Before fleeing with about $3,000 in store merchandise,- cellphones and computer equipment, police said, they brought him to the rear of the store and threw him down a flight of stairs. The clerk was able to free himself and called 911 about 1:08 p.m., police said.

Detectives asked that anyone with information call Crime Stoppers at 800-244-TIPS.