Man Who Was Shot While Allegedly Robbing Family Dollar Facing Charges
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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A man who was shot by authorities during an alleged armed robbery at a Homewood store Friday is now facing charges.
According to a criminal complaint, someone called to report an armed robbery at the Family Dollar on Frankstown Avenue around 9:30 p.m.
Pittsburgh Police officers and Allegheny County sheriff's deputies responded to the scene.
When two sheriff's deputies and one officer entered the store, they saw 21-year-old Timothy Franks standing in the corner of the store.
According to the criminal complaint, Franks pointed a semi-automatic handgun at the deputies and the officer and opened fire. The two sheriff's deputies returned fire, shooting Franks in both legs and the left arm. Franks then threw the firearm to the ground and was taken into custody.
One bullet wound on Franks' leg was bleeding profusely. A deputy applied a tourniquet to stop the bleeding as they waited for an ambulance.
Franks was transported to a local hospital for treatment and placed under police guard. On Friday, he was reported to be in critical condition. His current condition is unknown.
Detectives interviewed three Family Dollar employees who were inside the store at the time of the robbery.
They said when Franks entered the store, he had his hood up and was wearing a mask, sunglasses and gloves. Franks allegedly pointed his firearm at a female employee and demanded she give him all the money from the register and place it into a bag.
Franks then allegedly came around the side of the counter and ordered the store's manager to open the safe. The manager told Franks the safe was on a timer, so they would have to wait for the safe to open after he entered the combination.
The employees told police while they were waiting for the safe to open, they heard Franks swear and then saw him open fire as the deputies and officer entered the store.
The criminal complaint says store surveillance cameras show Franks pointing his firearm at the employees. Footage also allegedly shows Franks clearing a jam in his firearm, removing the magazine and then again attempting to fire at the deputies and the officer.
Police say Franks was not licensed to carry a concealed firearm, and a check of the firearm found no record for owners or if the firearm was stolen.
Franks is facing multiple charges, including aggravated assault, robbery and recklessly endangering another person.
