An armored car guard opened fire and shot two teenage suspects during an attempted robbery outside an Ace Cash Express at 5500 Bel Air Boulevard, on the corner of Chimney Rock in southwest Houston, according to a Houston police press conference reported by FOX 26. Police said the guard struck at least two suspects, both juvenile males around 15 or 16 years old, who were later found to be in surgery.
Investigators said the armored car driver had gone into the Ace Cash Express and, when he came back out, the suspects approached him and sprayed him with bear spray to try to rob him of the cash from the check-cashing store. That is when the armored guard fired several shots, striking at least two of them, police told reporters at the scene.
Police said the guard had already been put on alert by a truck that was idling loudly and unoccupied nearby, which they believe was stolen. According to investigators, the vehicle drew his attention as suspicious, so he was watchful when he stepped back out of the store and was confronted.
The two wounded suspects turned up separately at a minor emergency clinic in the Galleria area, police said, after a white Mercedes pulled up and dropped off two juvenile males with gunshot wounds. FOX 26 reported that both teens were transported to Texas Children's Hospital and were in surgery, with officers posted there to check on them.
Officers later located the vehicle, a Mercedes-Benz, at a car wash on the north side of the city, according to police. Investigators said several people there were trying to clean the blood out of the car, which they described as tampering with evidence, and all of them were taken into custody.
Police said that so far the two juveniles who were shot, along with at least one to two people from the car wash, are in custody, and that investigators were still working to determine exactly who was involved. Robbery investigators were doing a follow-up at the scene and said they would consult the district attorney about what charges would be filed.
One officer told reporters it was distressing to have 15- and 16-year-olds out robbing armored cars during summer break, adding that it was among the things detectives would be investigating. FOX 26 said a reporter remained at the scene as the investigation continued into the attempted heist.