An armored car employee was shot during a robbery outside a Chase Bank in Balch Springs on Wednesday morning. The suspect fled with an undisclosed amount of cash.
The shooting occurred around 8:30 a.m. at the Chase Bank at 12338 Lake June Road near Balch Springs Road, southeast of Dallas. Balch Springs Police Chief Brent Hurley said officers found the armored car employee with critical injuries in the parking lot.
The victim was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he is listed in critical condition.
The FBI immediately took charge of the investigation, treating the incident as both a bank robbery and a shooting.
“Unfortunately, yet again, we are here at the scene of a violent act involving an armored car employee or a bank. It’s all too familiar that we see in Dallas and the surrounding areas that this kind of incident, our violent crimes task force was notified by the Balch Springs Police Department of this occurrence and immediately responded,” Jeremy Wright, assistant special agent in charge for FBI Dallas, said at a press briefing.
Wright’s comments underscore a troubling pattern of violence targeting banks and armored car personnel across the Dallas metropolitan area. The frequency of such attacks has prompted increased scrutiny of security measures.
Authorities have not released a description of the suspect, but surveillance footage shows a person in black, wearing a mask and gloves, fleeing the scene. The investigation remains active, with federal and local law enforcement canvassing the area for witnesses and surveillance footage.
Officials are urging anyone with information about the incident to contact the Balch Springs Police Department or call the FBI at 1-800-CALLFBI. Even small details could prove crucial in tracking down the shooter.
The Chase Bank branch remained closed on Wednesday as investigators processed the crime scene. Yellow tape cordoned off the parking lot where the shooting occurred.