Dec 7, 2007 11:58 pm US/Eastern
Police Forced To Fire Weapons Near Pa. Mall
SALISBURY TWP, Pa. (CBS3/AP) ―
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The incident happened outside the South Mall in Salisbury Township at about 10:00 a.m. Friday morning.
CBS
Shoppers took refuge inside a Pennsylvania mall Friday morning after police fired shots at a motorist who they say tried to run down an officer in the parking lot.
The incident happened outside the South Mall in Salisbury Township at about 10:00 a.m. Friday morning.
The suspect fled the scene and was eventually arrested at an apartment complex following a standoff, authorities said.
Avbuime Akade, 24, of Easton, will face charges of aggravated assault and other offenses, the statement said.
Bank of America spokesman Ernesto Anguilla said the shooting was related to an attempted holdup of an armored car.
"The incident did occur in the mall parking lot, outside of the banking center," he told The Associated Press. "None of our associates or customers were injured. The lobby of our banking center is currently closed while the police investigate."
The statement from Martin and Johnson did not mention an attempted armored car heist.
A store employee heading to work noticed a suspicious vehicle in the parking lot between the bank and the mall entrance, said Shawn Southard, a spokesman for mall owner Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust. The employee alerted mall security, who in turned contacted police, Southard said.
Salisbury Township police asked the driver to step out of the car. He complied, but his passenger, Akade, then got into the driver's seat and put the car in reverse, driving directly at a police officer, authorities said.
Two officers shot at the car while it was aiming for the officer, who was not hurt, authorities said.
Akade then fled in the car, which was later found at the Whitestone Village Apartments in Allentown, just over the line from Salisbury Township.
Following a lengthy standoff, police ended up raiding the apartment that witnesses said Akade had entered and arrested him.
Akade is in the custody of the Pennsylvania State police and is awaiting arraignment on aggravated assault and other related charges. It was not immediately clear if he had a lawyer.
The apartment was temporarily locked down and residents were evacuated.
The mall was briefly locked down following the incident, but eventually reopened.
Police said no officers or shoppers were injured in the incident.
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(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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