State police are searching for two suspects who attempted to pull off an armed robbery at a Subway restaurant along Route 85 in Cowanshannock Township in Armstrong County last night.
It happened about a mile west of West Shamokin High School at 8:25 PM. Police say the two suspects parked across the street at a Dollar General store and watched Subway for about a half-hour, then one suspect went into the restaurant armed with a black semi-automatic handgun and confronted an employee, demanding money. The victim attempted to give the money to him, while simultaneously triggering a panic alarm. The suspect then pointed the gun at the victim several times, telling her that he didn’t want to rob her. Meanwhile, another employee had called 911 when the suspect entered the store, and the first victim told the would-be robber that he’d better leave. He then ran out of the store empty-handed. His accomplice pulled out of the Dollar General and drove across Route 85, where the failed robber ran and got into the vehicle and they fled eastbound.
The quick-thinking employees area 46-year-old woman from Indiana and a 25-year-old woman from Rural Valley. The man with the gun is about 5’5” to 5’7″ inches tall, soft spoken and with a stocky build. He was wearing a black beanie, sunglasses, a white-and-black bandana on his face, black sweater, gloves, jeans, and work boots. There’s no description of the person in the truck, which is a silver or tan 3/4 ton pickup, possibly a crew cab, with a bad left tail light and possibly no tailgate. Anyone with information is asked to contact state police in Kittanning.
