Update at 8:15 p.m. on December 30 - The suspect was located at an address on N. Pryor Street in Gastonia. He was taken into custody without incident.
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Update at 5:45 p.m. on December 30 - Additional photographs of the suspect's truck have been added to this news release. Detectives now believe that this same suspect committed the December 17 armed robbery in the 100 block of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Way. The news release for the December 17 armed robbery can be seen here: https://www.cityofgastonia.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1802
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Gastonia, N.C. - December 30, 2021 - Detectives from the Gastonia Police Department (GPD) continue to investigate the armed robbery of one individual, the armed robbery of a business, and the subsequent attempted murder of Gastonia Police officers that occurred yesterday evening in Gastonia. Today, investigators are releasing surveillance photographs of the male suspect and the vehicle that the suspect was operating and are asking for the public’s help in identifying him.
At approximately 6:32 p.m. on December 29, GPD officers responded to a restaurant located in the 2000 block of W. Franklin Boulevard for an armed robbery that just occurred. Responding officers determined that the suspect entered the restaurant, threatened employees with a handgun, and demanded cash from the business. The suspect stole cash from the business and then threatened a 67-year-old female customer of the business. The suspect stole cash from this victim as well.
After the robbery, the suspect fled the business and was last seen entering a dark-colored Dodge Ram truck that was parked in a nearby parking lot and then driving out of the area. Officers at the business provided a description of the suspect’s truck to additional officers who were in the area.
A few minutes after the robbery, GPD officers observed a truck matching the suspect’s description driving on N. King Street at W. Rankin Avenue. GPD officers activated their emergency equipment to initiate a traffic stop on the truck. The truck stopped on N. King Street prior to W. Rankin Avenue. During the stop, the suspect fired multiple rounds at officers with several of those rounds striking a marked GPD police car. GPD officers returned fire on the suspect. After officers returned fire, the suspect sped off in the truck. Officers attempted to pursue the truck but could not locate the suspect’s vehicle.
There were no injuries reported as a result of this shooting.
The suspect’s vehicle is described as a four-door Dodge Ram truck that is black on the top half and silver on the bottom half. The truck has multiple stickers on the back window, including a United States Marine Corps sticker. The truck’s left taillight does not work, however, the left brake light does work.
This remains an active investigation. Anyone with information about this suspect or the suspect’s vehicle is asked to contact Detectives at 704 866 6939. Residents may also call Crime Stoppers of Gaston County at 704-861-8000. Crime Stoppers pays a cash reward for a tip that leads to an arrest.
