Hours-Long Standoff At Effingham TA Ends With Individual Taking Own Life

On March 7, 2024, at 10:36 AM, the Shelby Township Police Department was notified of a bank robbery that had just occurred at Bank of America, located at 13750 23 Mile Road. Officers immediately arrived at the bank and spoke to employees, who stated that a black male entered the bank and approached a teller. The suspect then passed a note demanding money, then fled the bank. Officers canvassed the area and were unable to locate the suspect.

Detectives spent the next several hours investigating this case and reviewing video from different locations in the township. Detectives were able to learn that once the suspect fled the bank, he got on a motorized scooter which he had parked near the bank. The suspect then drove the scooter to a semi-truck he had parked in the area. The suspect then fled the area inside of the semi-truck.

Detectives were able to track the semi-truck to a trucking company in Illinois, and from that point, were able to identify the suspect in the bank robbery, who is a 33-year-old resident of Georgia.

Shelby Township Detectives were able to track the suspect to Effingham, Illinois. We requested assistance from the Effingham Police Department, who eventually located the suspect and the semi-truck at a TA Truck Stop in their jurisdiction. The suspect resisted arrest and was able to barricade himself inside of the semi-truck with a gun. Police immediately disabled the semi-truck, which prevented his escape. The Effingham County Sheriff’s Department and the Illinois State Police SWAT Team and Crisis Negotiating Team were called to assist. After nearly an 8-hour standoff, negotiations failed, and the suspect took his own life.

“Make no mistake about it – if you come to Shelby Township to commit a crime, our department will track you down no matter where you try to hide.” – Shelby Township Police Chief Robert Shelide.

The Shelby Township Police Department would like to thank the Macomb County FBI, Effingham Police Department, Effingham County Sheriff’s Department, and the Illinois State Police for their assistance in this case.