Robbery suspect shot during shootout with police at Family Dollar

PITTSBURGH — A man is in critical condition after exchanging gunfire with law enforcement officers in a Pittsburgh dollar store on Friday night.

Here’s a closer look of the scene. pic.twitter.com/T13HofKJ22
— Michele Newell (@micheleWPXI) January 19, 2019

Timothy Franks, 21, was a suspect in a robbery at another Family Dollar store in Penn Hills only minutes earlier, police said at the scene.

According to a criminal complaint, employees told police Franks entered the East Hills store in the 8100 block of Frankstown Avenue around 9:30 p.m. wearing a mask, sunglasses and gloves, pointed the gun at them and demanded money.

Multiple Pittsburgh police offcers responded to a 911 call from the store claiming a robbery was in progress, as did two Allegheny County Sheriff's deputies who were in the area, according to the complaint.

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An employee put money from a cash register in a bag, and then Franks ordered the manager to open the safe, according to the complaint. As they waited for the safe to open, the deputies and a Pittsburgh officer entered the store.

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When Franks saw them, he opened fire with a .40-caliber handgun, according to the complaint. Both deputies returned fire, striking Franks in both legs and an arm.

Franks dropped his gun after he was shot, and one of the deputies placed a tourniquet on his leg wound as they waited for EMS to arrive, according to the complaint.

Franks is charged with six counts of recklessly endangering another person, three counts of aggravated assault, robbery and related crimes. He was last listed in critical condition at a local hospital.

Cox Media Group