A man flashed a bomb during a bank robbery in Zebulon Friday morning and took off with cash but was later arrested in a store parking lot after getting into a shootout with police, according to officials.
On Dec. 26, Willie McGee Jr, demanded a First Citizens Bank teller hand over cash, or he would activate a C- 4 explosive, police said. He was originally facing charges related to just the robbery, but authorities added more over the weekend in connection to the shootout with police, officials said.
“As alleged, this defendant didn’t just rob a bank – he threatened innocent civilians with explosives and then opened fire on police officers,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche with the U.S. Attorney’s Office. “That is not desperation, it is domestic terror.”
Willie McGee Jr. shoots at police in a Rocky Mount parking lot after armed robbery of a Zebulon Bank. (USDOJ)
McGee left the Zebulon bank with more than $3,200 in a white semi-truck, police said. But later that day, Rocky Mount Police officers got tips about the truck sitting in a Hobby Lobby parking lot.
Police confronted McGee there, and he climbed out and started shooting at them with an AR 5.56 rifle, authorities said. Officers shot back and hit McGee. His condition was listed as stable on Monday, and he is expected to recover, according to police.
“Thankfully, no law enforcement officers or members of the public were injured during the arrest,” Katie Holcomb Vollmer, public affairs officer, said in a news release.
McGee is charged with bank robbery and discharging a firearm. He is also now charged with two counts of attempted murder and other charges related to firing at police, officials said.
The SBI, ATF and FBI are also investigating and said no explosives were found.
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Blair Hamilton
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