LUMBERTON, NC (WBTW) – Bank robbers who shot at Lumberton police Tuesday remained on the run Wednesday morning.
Four armed robbers held up the PNC Bank on North Chestnut Street in Lumberton shortly before 4 p.m. Tuesday, according to Lumberton police. No one was injured, but police said the robbers got away with money.
When officers responded, the robbers led them on a chase.
“During the chase, the suspects shot at officers multiple times,” a press release from Lumberton Police said. “Once in the county, the suspects stopped and shots were fired again at officers, this time resulting in one suspect fleeing on foot while the other robbers fled the county. Once in another county, the remaining suspects fired on officers again.”
FBI Public Affairs Officer Shelley Lynch says during the high-speed chase, the four suspects exited the car and ran in different directions along Old Whiteville Road in both Robeson and Columbus Counties.
Taylor Leggett lives along the road, she says she saw one man get out of a car and start shooting.
“I heard gunshots…”,said Leggett. “He looked in my general direction. So, I got back in my car and then when Isaw the car pull off. I ran in my house.”
Leggett says she didn’t know what was going on until officials told her the man may have run into the woods near her house.
“When I got up I was hoping they would have got them…”
Robeson County Sheriff Kenneth Sealey says the Allenton Rural Fire Department was the command center Wednesday.
Early Wednesday morning, a person in the area detained a man officials thought was a person on interest but Sealy confirms that person was not involved in the robbery.
On Wednesday Federal, State and local law enforcement used drones, went door to door and walked through the woods behind the Antioch Mini Mart.
James Allen McGrit Jr. works at the store, he says the last two days have been terrifying.
“There was about 30 some officers,” said McGrit. “Everybody… was just cautious. You have to make sure all your doors were locked.”
Two Robeson County Schools: East Robeson and Littlefield Middle school had a brief lockdown as a “precautionary measure” until 9 this morning.
This email was sent out following the lockdown:
“East Robeson and Littlefield Middle are not on lockdown at this time. We took extra precautionary measures to ensure all students and staff are safe. Central office administrators and school staff are working with local law enforcement to make sure buildings and campuses are secure.”
McGrit says he hopes the four suspects are caught.
“You actually never know if he’s still around or he kept on going, you just never know,” said McGrit. “If they robbed a bank, or whatever, they will actually do anything.”
Multiple law enforcement agencies worked for hour combing the wooded area where the suspects fled. Lynch confirms that SWAT teams were called in and the Fayetteville Police Department provided drones to help in the manhunt. North Carolina Highway State Patrol and New Brunswick County had helicopters in the sky canvassing the area.
None of the suspects have been caught, but the FBI released photos of the heavily armed robbers.
Agents say at least two of the robbers had on a full head mask, disguising their faces, while a third robber wore a fake beard.
No officers have been hurt. Other agencies, including the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office, North Carolina State Highway Patrol, FBI, and North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation joined the investigation.
Agents have not said how much money the men stole. Anyone with information related to this bank robbery or the location of the robbers is asked to call the Fayetteville FBI office at 910.860.5000.
