A robbery suspect reportedly walked into a Texas bank armed with a knife Monday morning and demanded money from employees. He also found an armed customer willing to intervene.
According to the Cedar Hill Police Department, officers were called to a robbery in progress at a Chase Bank in the 200 block of North Highway 67 Service Road at approximately 9:04 a.m. on August 31.
Police said the suspect entered the bank carrying a knife and demanded money from employees. During the robbery, an armed customer fired, striking the suspect.
The wounded suspect ran from the bank but did not get far. Officers found the suspect nearby and immediately began lifesaving measures. Cedar Hill medics transported the suspect to a local hospital, where the suspect later died.
The customer who fired remained at the scene and is cooperating with investigators. No bank employees, customers, witnesses, or police officers suffered significant injuries. Cedar Hill police also made clear that no officers fired their weapons.
Police responded to the crime, but an armed citizen was already there when the threat appeared.
Nothing will ever have a faster response time than an armed citizen willing to defend themself and others. Violent criminals are not deterred by bank security or law enforcement, which are still a phone call or an alarm system away when the danger is there. Criminals do not stop, read, and obey gun-free zone signs.
Gun-control advocates routinely argue that ordinary citizens carrying firearms in public create danger and confusion. What happened in Cedar Hill presents a different picture: an armed suspect entered a business, reportedly threatened employees with a knife, and encountered a customer capable of responding before police could arrive.
Texas law recognizes the use of deadly force under certain circumstances to prevent an imminent aggravated robbery. It also recognizes the defense of another person. Those provisions can be found in Sections 9.32 and 9.33 of the Texas Penal Code.
Detectives are still interviewing witnesses and reviewing surveillance video, while the FBI’s Dallas office has joined the investigation because the incident involved a bank robbery. Police have not identified the suspect or customer, disclosed how many shots were fired, or announced whether the customer will face charges.
AmmoLand has repeatedly documented cases in which armed citizens stopped robberies before police could reach the scene. Cedar Hill appears to be another reminder that violent criminals choose the time and place of their attacks. The Second Amendment gives ordinary Americans the means to ensure those criminals do not have the final say.
About Duncan Johnson:
Duncan Johnson is a lifelong firearms enthusiast and unwavering defender of the Second Amendment—where “shall not be infringed” means exactly what it says. A graduate of George Mason University, he enjoys competing in local USPSA and multi-gun competitions whenever he’s not covering the latest in gun rights and firearm policy. Duncan is a regular contributor and editor-in-chief for AmmoLand News and is responsible for AmmoLand’s daily gun-rights reporting and industry coverage.
