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Customers stop suspect armed with shotgun from robbing Abbotsford bank, police say

An Abbotsford police cruiser is seen in this undated file image. An Abbotsford police cruiser is seen in this undated file image.
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Customers at a bank in Abbotsford thwarted an attempted robbery Wednesday, according to local police.

The Abbotsford Police Department says in a news release that a person walked into the Scotiabank on Gladwin Road just before 11:30 a.m., brandishing a shotgun and demanding that everyone in the bank lie on the ground.

The suspect threw bags onto the counter and demanded money, police said.

"As the suspect was making demands, one customer confronted the suspect," police said in their news release. "Three other customers joined the first and tackled the suspect to the ground."

Plainclothes officers arrived and took the suspect into custody just four minutes after the initial 911 call, according to police.

The 46-year-old suspect remains in custody and is facing "numerous charges," including robbery and firearms-related offences, police said.

“We are thankful for our community’s support and amazed at the willingness of those customers whose first thought was to protect others in the bank," said Abbotsford Police Department spokesperson Sgt. Judy Bird, in the news release.

"As grateful as we are for this outcome, we remind the public to be aware of how volatile and dangerous these situations can be, especially with armed suspects,” she added. 

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