Man Accused Of Firing At Robbery Suspect Issued Summons
AURORA, Colo. (CBS4) - A man was issued a summons for reckless endangerment and discharging a weapon after police say he fired his gun at an armed robbery suspect.
According to police, the robbery suspect walked into the Subway sandwich shop on East Iliff Avenue near South Chambers Road in Aurora around 7:40 p.m. Saturday, assaulted a female employee, and demanded money.
"I saw two females screaming and ducking for cover," said the bystander who fired shots, who wished to remain anonymous.
The bystander said he has years of training as a fugitive recovery agent. He told CBS4 that he was at the right place at the right time to stop the fleeing suspect.
"I did feel that my life and the lives of the people in my community were in danger," said the bystander. "So I wanted to stop that person."
Subway staff told CBS4 that the robbery suspect punched a female employee in the face, slammed her to the floor, and kicked her in the ribs before running off with the cash.
That's when the bystander stepped in to try to make a citizen's arrest.
"It could have been any person at any time. I just happened to be prepared with the right tools to respond to try and at least get this person into custody," he said.
The bystander chased after the suspect through a strip mall, spraying him with mace. But the suspect kept running.
"He was turning, slowing down, as if he were to attempt to draw a gun, so I wanted to deter that threat," said the bystander.
The bystander fired warning rounds into the air, and then shot the suspect's vehicle as he was driving away.
"Chasing this guy, firing rounds into the air, shooting at the vehicle, put the public at risk and endangered them," said Sgt. Chris Amsler, spokesperson for the Aurora Police Department.
"In this situation we would prefer anyone, whether they're a bounty hunter or not, to be a good witness," said Sgt. Amsler. "To get a good description of the suspect, of the vehicle, and then give it to the police when they get there."
"Obviously, call the cops first if you can," said the bystander.
Police were able to locate the suspect's vehicle a few blocks away.
The suspect is still at large.
Additional Information From The Aurora Police Department
Anyone with information about the identity of the robber in this case is asked to call Aurora Police or Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867. Tipster can remain anonymous and could be eligible for a reward of up to $2,000.
Melissa Garcia has been reporting for CBS4 News since March 2014. Find her bio here, follow her on Twitter @MelissaGarciaTV, or send your story idea to mkgarcia@cbs.com.