Armed Robbery Suspect Manhunt Leads Police On SW OKC Walmart Rooftop

An armed robbery suspect went to great lengths Tuesday to escape capture by Oklahoma City police.

A Walmart located near Interstate 40 and South MacArthur Boulevard was evacuated for officers to search inside and on top of the store for the suspect.

Related: Police Close Reno & MacArthur Walmart Due To Armed Robbery Nearby

By the time officers were able to reach the rooftop, the suspect was gone. They even used a drone to search the area with no luck.  

The manhunt started with a 911 call made Tuesday afternoon.

“I just got robbed at gunpoint for three of my phones in here,” a robbery victim said on the call. “He left the building.”

The employee of the phone repair store told police the suspect calmly held a gun to his head and pointed to the phones he wanted.

“Did he leave on foot or in a vehicle?” a 911 dispatcher said.  

“On foot as far as I could see,” the robbery victim said. “It’s a very busy shopping plaza.”

An officer patrolling the area spotted a man who matched the suspect's description.

“He fled on foot, led officers on a foot chase,” Oklahoma City Police Department Sergeant Dillon Quirk said. “As it turns out, he actually jumped some storage containers there and made his way onto the roof of the Walmart.”

While several officers searched the rooftop, Walmart customers and employees were evacuated for police to do a safety sweep inside the store.  

“As soon as it was deemed safe by patrol officers,” Quirk said. “The Walmart was reopened. Unfortunately, the suspect was not found.”   

However, the suspect dropped the stolen phones, and investigators were able to get clear video of the robbery from the phone store.