An armored-truck employee was shot outside a Chase Bank in Balch Springs yesterday, leaving the worker in critical condition and triggering a sweeping search for the gunman. Federal and local authorities sealed off the bank’s drive-thru lanes while investigators combed through the scene for evidence.
Balch Springs police say officers responded to calls of a robbery around 8:30 a.m. and found an armored-car worker with a gunshot wound. First responders treated the man and rushed him to a nearby hospital, where he remains in critical condition, according to The Dallas Morning News. Authorities have not released the worker’s name, and it is not yet clear whether any cash was taken.
FBI Takes Lead as Federal Charges Loom
The FBI Violent Crimes Task Force has taken charge of the investigation, and officials say one person is wanted in connection with the shooting. As reported by NBCDFW, the FBI indicated prosecutors would likely pursue charges under the federal Hobbs Act. Local television coverage also showed agents and officers searching nearby streets as the manhunt continued, per WFAA.
“For the people like us that are working next door, I mean, it’s kind of dangerous because we don’t know if he’s close by or far,” resident Yeison Juarez told NBCDFW as officers scoured nearby neighborhoods. Business owners and commuters described a heavy law-enforcement presence while investigators processed evidence at the ATMs.
Area Has Seen Similar Attacks
The incident renewed concerns about attacks on bank customers and armored-car crews after local outlets documented other "jugging" incidents and ambushes in the region. FOX 4 previously reported on a deadly ambush of an armored-car guard in Dallas, and captured the chaos outside the bank at the Balch Springs Chase as investigators worked, per Hoodline.
Legal Stakes and How to Help
The Hobbs Act (18 U.S.C. § 1951) criminalizes robbery or extortion that obstructs or affects interstate commerce and carries penalties of up to 20 years in prison, according to the U.S. Code. The Balch Springs Police Department is asking anyone with information to call its non-emergency line at 972-557-6000, per the Balch Springs Police Department listing.
Investigators continue to canvass the area and review surveillance footage, and no arrests have been announced. This story will be updated as officials release more information.
