Bank robbery foiled by armed citizen

[Pat McGarrity]

Bank robbery foiled

Mark Weber/The Commercial Appeal


Witnesses say fruit vendor shot a man who was attempting to hold up a Frayser credit union
By Alex Doniach and Pamela Perkins

October 14, 2006

A man was shot in an apparent attempt to rob a credit union in Frayser Friday.

Two witnesses said a man selling fruit in the bank parking lot pulled a gun and shot the suspected robber.


Memphis police confirmed that the fruit vendor approached the suspects and shot one in the neck at the entrance of American Savings Credit Union, 3048 Harvester Lane.

Det. Monique Martin said two bank robbery suspects were arrested, but neither had been charged late Friday.

Police responded to the call about the shooting at 2:30 p.m., according to Lt. Darren Goods of the police robbery bureau. Officers found two men nearby. One had been shot and was taken to the Regional Medical Center at Memphis in critical condition.

Martin would not reveal the identity of the fruit vendor, but according to the accounts of witnesses, he was Roscoe McVay, who runs a fruit stand in the bank's parking lot on Fridays.

Friday evening, McVay confirmed that he sells fruit out of his truck on Fridays. He declined to comment on the incident.

A. L. Brown of South Memphis said he watched McVay enter the bank and fire a shot.

Brown said he and John Adkins of Bartlett saw the two suspects standing outside the entrance when they drove into the bank's parking lot.

"At first I thought the men were standing by a bus stop, but when I realized they were just waiting outside, I got suspicious," Adkins said.

Adkins said he waited in the parking lot as Brown entered the bank. He bought fruit from the vendor. Shortly after, he saw the vendor follow the two suspects into the bank's vestibule.

Inside the bank, Brown had finished his transaction. He noticed the two men, who were in the vestibule, approach the doors into the bank proper. But before they had a chance to enter, Brown said McVay took out a pistol and shot one of the suspects.

"I was about arm's length away from the shots," Brown said. "He shot him in the neck and I saw the man fall back."

Brown said the other patrons in the bank screamed.

"Most of the people got down on the floor," Brown said. "There were some babies in the bank and they were crying."

Adkins heard the shot and saw the two suspects run away with their shirts over their heads.

Martin said that as police were investigating the shooting a relative of one of the suspects attempted to enter the crime scene. He was charged with assault, disorderly conduct and resisting officials detention.

The Safe Streets Task Force is investigating.


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