Effingham standoff: man dead after police chase that started in Michigan

Heather Robinson
·2 min read
3

EFFINGHAM, Ill. (WCIA) — New details have been released in the police standoff at the TA Truck Stop in Effingham on Friday.

The situation started in Michigan on Thursday, March 7. Officials from the Shelby Township Police Department in Michigan were notified of a bank robbery at a Bank of America around 10:36 a.m.

Upon arrival, police spoke with employees of the bank who said a Black male entered the bank and approached one of the employees, passing them a note and demanding money. He then fled the bank.

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After a police search of the area turned unsuccessful, detectives searched video surveillance from around the area and continued to investigate.

Further investigations revealed the suspect left the bank on a motorized scooter which he had parked outside. He drove the scooter to a semi-truck that was parked nearby, and then drove away.

Police tracked the semi to an Illinois trucking company, where they identified the suspect as a 33-year-old man from Georgia. The Shelby Township police tracked the suspect to Effingham, where they requested help from the Effingham Police Department.

The suspect was then located at the TA Truck Stop. He then barricaded himself in the semi with a gun in attempt to avoid an arrest.

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Officials say police immediately disabled the truck, preventing the suspect’s escape. The Illinois State Police SWAT Team and Crisis Negotiating Team were also called in to assist.

The standoff lasted nearly 8 hours.

After officials attempted to negotiate with the suspect, he took his own life.

“Make no mistake about it – if you come to Shelby Township to commit a crime, our department will track you down no matter where you try to hide,” said Shelby Township Police Chief Robert Shelide.

The Shelby Township Police Department thanked the Macomb County FBI, Effingham Police Department, Effingham County Sheriff’s Department and Illinois State Police for assisting in the case.

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