Man thwarts bank robbery

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE)--A witness stopped an attempted robbery at Freedom Financial Credit Union by elbowing the suspect in the face.  Many have called him a hero. Some call his actions foolish. But Edgar Rumrill said he went into protection mode.

But Rumrill, 41, was soon thrust into a situation anything but ordinary. A suspect had come into the credit union demanding money.

“I was actually standing here, kind of looked over, saw him come in and kind of looked over this way,” Rumrill said. “As he came over this way, I said, ‘You're not robbing my credit union,’ and elbowed him right across the chin because he was right elbow height.”

After checking to see if his wife was ok, Rumrill chased the suspect out of the credit union.

“Unfortunately I was wearing cowboy boots that day,” Rumrill said. “So I didn't get right on top of him. But I was maybe 10 steps behind him.”

The 41-year-old said if he would have caught the suspect, it wouldn't have been pretty.

“If I would have caught him I would have taken him down,” Rumrill said. “I would have taken him down hard and I would've brought him back here. If I had to drag him, I would have drug him back here and I would have sat here and waited for the cops to get here to get him.”

While some say he could have gotten himself killed, Rumrill said that's the price he was willing to pay to protect his family and defend what he's earned.

“I'm not just going to give somebody what they want. I'm going to stand up for what's mine,” Rumrill said. “If I wind of dead in the process, at least I know I went down fighting for what's mine.”

Fort Wayne police said Rumrill's actions were very dangerous. Officers arrested two suspects in the attempted robbery. Michael J. Boester, 34, is charged with attempted robbery. Molly M. Hutmacher, 23, was charged with attempted robbery and neglect of a dependent, since a two-year-old toddler was found in her get-away vehicle.

That toddler was released to family. No one inside the credit union was hurt during the attempted robbery.

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