Off-Duty Officer Tackles Bank Robbery Suspect, Spilling Stolen Cash
DENVER (CBS4)- An off-duty Denver Police officer tackled a bank robbery suspect to try to keep him from getting away after the thief targeted the US Bank on East Colfax Wednesday morning. That scuffle knocked most of the stolen cash out of his possession.
The bank robbery suspect walked into the US Bank at 6300 E. Colfax about 11:20 a.m. and demanded cash from the teller.
An off-duty officer working security at the bank tried to stop the suspect by tackling him. The two fell down the stairs and that's when most of the stolen cash was knocked out of the thief's hands.
"As the suspect was leaving the Denver Police officer happened to confront him, that's when the scuffle ensued and that's when the money, the officer was able to dislodge the money from the suspect," said Denver Police spokeswoman Christine Downs.
The suspect then ran away going westbound on Colfax. The officer was injured in the scuffle but nothing serious.
Police are still searching for him. He is described as a white male, 6-feet, wearing a black hat, red jacket, tan shorts and carrying a backpack. He may have a gun.
He's wanted for bank robbery and assault on a peace officer.
Four nearby schools were placed on lockdown status while police tried to catch the bank robber. Those school included Odyssey, Monclair, Denver School of the Arts and Park Hill Elementary.
This same bank was robbed within the last year when an off-duty police officer shot and killed a bank robbery suspect.