Bank Robbery Suspect Taunted Officers Before Jumping In River
PUEBLO, Colo. (CBS) - Police in Pueblo are still searching for a suspected bank robber after he jumped into the Arkansas River in an attempt to escape from officers.
Authorities said Jeffrey Cathcart, never resurfaced after jumping in on Thursday. They said he launched himself in the water after taking off his shirt and then taunting officers.
The Pueblo Police Department released a photo of the man they say is Cathcart moments before he jumped in.
Police were first called to a reported robbery Thursday at 2 p.m. at a credit union called Security Service Federal Credit Union, located at 310 East Abriendo Avenue.
A man allegedly walked into the bank, demanded money and then left on foot with an undisclosed amount of cash.
When officers arrived witnesses began pointing to the river trail. Officers spotted a man matching the bank robber's description running east down the river trail and began running after him.
When officers got closer to the suspect near the Santa Fe Bridge, they say Cathcart, 40, jumped into the river just above the spillway near the walking bridge.
The suspect swam to a concrete pillar in the middle of the river when he began taunting officers before taking off his shoes and jumping into the spillway.
Officers saw him come back to the surface briefly before being quickly swept into the undertow.
Pueblo police officers were working with water rescue teams as the search continued.
Cathcart was wanted on a parole violation and was suspected of robbing a grocery store last month.