An armed robbery Wednesday morning at the west end Fort Madison Bank & Trust branch office resulted in the death of the suspect.
About 10 a.m. Wednesday, Fort Madison police and Lee County Sheriff deputies responded to an emergency call at the bank.
Sheriff Deputy Steve Spraul, who was transporting a prisoner and was near the area, began tracking the suspected gunman with his squad car, according to lee County Jim Sholl.
“The suspect fired three shots at the vehicle and hit it twice,” Sholl said. “A Fort Madison police officer wounded the suspect with an AR-15.”
Spraul was not injured by the gunfire, but was covered by shards of glass and sought treatment at FMCH.
Sholl said no bank employee was injured, however City Manager David Varley said the suspect did fire his gun inside the bank.
“I know he shot into the ceiling to get people’s attention,” Varley said, adding that there were 3 to 4 people inside the bank at the time.
The suspect, which has not been identified was then taken by ambulance to Fort Madison Community Hospital where he later died.
The identity of the suspect, described as an African American male, is still unknown.
“He didn’t have any identification on him, I can tell you that,” Fort Madison Police Chief Bruce Gustafson said this afternoon. “He doesn’t look like a local that anyone seems to know. We’re going to have to do some fingerprinting and so on to determine who he is.”
More details will be posted as they become available
