WILLIS, Texas — Willis police said a 27-year-old suspect from Houston was shot and killed during an attempted armored truck heist.
It happened around 9:30 a.m. Tuesday at a Chase Bank on FM 1097.
The ATM a Brinks guard was servicing remained open as the investigation began.
"Two suspects were after the cash when they surprised the employee, who was also armed," said Willis PD Chief James Nowak. "They approached him with a handgun and he fired. And struck at least one guy.”
That suspect's body remained in the parking lot as multiple agencies started their search for his alleged accomplice.
He was seen running across the road and, possibly, into a wooded area.
“HPD, DPS. Texas Rangers, FBI, ATF,” Nowak said. "They're all assisting."
A number of witnesses told police they heard lots of gunfire before seeing the suspect who was fatally shot collapse next to his car.
"Thank the Lord that Brinks was armed and ready and took him down," said John Stebbins, of Willis. "And he paid a pretty big price for that.”
"Well, you know, you do the crime, you pay the price," Mary Jones said.
Jones was glad neither she nor her husband were there at the time shots were fired.
"He was supposed to have been here early this morning," Jones said. "I thank God that he didn’t come early this morning.”
Willis Police told us part of the investigation is to figure out if these suspects may be tied to other recent armored truck robberies in the Houston area.
It's the type of crime this town is not used to seeing.
“I’ve been here 15 years and we had one bank robbery several years ago," said Chief Nowak. "And this is the first time to have something like this.”
The second suspect was only described as a slender man wearing dark clothing.
Surveillance video from the bank may be released later.