'Good catch': Police officers stop robbery in progress in dramatic video at Tennessee mall
FRANKLIN, TENNESSEE: A dramatic video captured officers interrupting a robbery in progress in a Tennessee mall. Just before 8 pm on November 4, a watchful worker at the Jared Diamond store within the Thoroughbred Village Shop Center in Franklin, Tennessee, called the police. According to a department news release, the caller noticed a person wearing a sweatshirt, surgical mask, hat, and sunglasses, which they thought was strange given that it was nighttime.
The suspect was pursued as he left the area in a vehicle that had other passengers by an undercover police officer stationed nearby as part of the department's ‘Not In Our Mall’ operation. Minutes later, according to authorities, the vehicle entered the fire lane in front of JCPenney at the CoolSprings Galleria. As the situation developed, Franklin police officers chased four masked men who had exited the van and entered the store.
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The four suspects inside the shopping center started breaking glass with sledgehammers in an effort to steal jewelry from the display cases. One of the perpetrators in the incident pepper sprayed a worker, while another attempted to take an officer's gun as the latter was making an arrest. Police pursued four suspects, and body camera footage captures the moments when officers approached at least one of them inside the mall. In the video, one cop can be seen chasing one of the masked criminals as they hastily flee into the JCPenney store. Then, as another suspect tried to exit the store, another cop is seen tackling him.
"All of this unfolded while the store was open, with shocked customers and employees watching," the news release remarked. The other three suspects escaped on foot, but police were able to apprehend one suspect and the driver at the JCPenney site. K9 teams and additional police officers also joined the pursuit. Another two suspects were subsequently apprehended by police in a neighboring parking lot, but one fled the scene. Police are currently searching for the third remaining suspect.
Southern justice hats off to our dedicated officers
— darrell fowler (@darrell38170839) December 7, 2022
All four suspects have been charged with Aggravated Robbery, Felony Vandalism, and Evading Arrest. Meanwhile, several users on social media came out and praised the officers on duty as one person said, “Good catch.” “Southern justice hats off to our dedicated officers,” another added. Someone noted, “Hope the police nabbed them!!” “This why cops need real weapons,” yet another user remarked.
