By Tim Reeves and Chris Wasson

The Selma Times-Journal

SELMA — As of late Thursday night, Selma Police are continuing to search for a suspect involved in an afternoon armed robbery at the Mr. Roy’s convenience store on Dallas Ave.

According to Chief of Police William Riley, two suspects entered the store and displayed a handgun to the cashier. As the two suspects were leaving, a late-arriving Mr. Roy’s employee rammed his pick-up truck into the side of the suspects’ car.

“I saw them getting in the car, so I rammed it to stop them,” the employee, who asked to remain anonymous, said. “When they got out they were all panicking saying ‘Get the gun, get the gun,’ so I reached over there and closed the door so they wouldn’t get it.”

The collision forced the robbers to leave on foot, leaving behind their handgun in the vehicle. Store employees then began to chase the suspects.

“I chased them all the way over to the church,” the employee said, pointing to Crosspoint Baptist Church. “Then I was walking back because I thought they were already gone and I saw the one suspect the got now walking across with taking off his shirt.”

The employee said he chased one of the suspects and tackled him, but the suspect was able to get back to his car.

“He opened it up and was trying to crank it, but I reached in and turned it off so they wouldn’t get away,” the employee said. “Then (the suspect) was like ‘y’all better get back’ and reached and pulled out the gun and me and (another person) ran into the store. We didn’t want to wait and see what would happen.”

As of 6:30 p.m., police had taken into custody one of the suspects and were continuing to search nearby neighborhoods and wooded areas.

Crime scene investigators, forensic investigators and officers continue to investigate the incident. Police did not release any details of what, if anything, the robbers were able to steal.