An Alpine Bank security guard who shot and killed a would-be armed robber in Rockford, Ill. won’t face criminal charges, local authorities announced yesterday, and graphic new surveillance footage of the incident has been released to the public. Check it out above.
The video shows Brian Harrison, the security guard in question, working at Alpine Bank on the afternoon of Jan. 20 when a masked man later identified as 34-year-old Laurence Turner suddenly runs in, fires a gun into the ceiling and aims it at Harrison.
- RELATED STORY: 7 Real-Life Cases of Carrying a Lifesaving Backup Firearm
Harrison can then be seen drawing his weapon and exchanging gunfire with Turner, who was shot twice, once in the chest and once in the buttocks. Turner is shown trying to bolt from the bank, but he ends up collapsing by the door.
Turner died at the scene. Harrison — a retired Winnebago County Sheriff’s Department deputy — was uninjured, as were the three tellers who were working that afternoon.
Harrison was placed on administrative leave by his company, Metro Enforcement, pending the results of an investigation. And now the results are in: Winnebago County State’s Attorney Joe Bruscato and Rockford police determined that the shooting was justified and have cleared him of any wrongdoing.
“There is no doubt in my mind the actions of Brian Harrison saved the lives of those that were employees in the Alpine Bank location on that date and saved his own life,” Bruscato said.
Alpine Bank, for their part, agreed. They sent a letter to the editor of the Rockford Register Star which reads in part, “While facing extraordinary circumstances, you acted with courage and quickness to protect our family. You are a hero to each and every one of us.”
- RELATED STORY: 3 Pieces of Police Training Advice For Today’s Threats
Metro Enforcement said Harrison would be back on duty as a security guard soon.
Turner, who an autopsy revealed was on opiates and had THC in his system at the time of the incident, has been tied to three other armed robberies in Rockford in the preceding months. Two were at a bank and one was at a jewelry store.
Discussion about this post