CHICAGO — One person was taken to the hospital after a bank robber sprayed a chemical irritant inside a Chase Bank on Chicago’s North Side yesterday morning.
Authorities have not announced any arrests in connection with the hold-up, which occurred at the company’s 6155 North Western Avenue branch in West Ridge around 9:49 a.m.
The robber handed a note demanding money to a teller and claimed to have a bomb and a gun, but nobody saw a weapon or device, officials at the scene said. After getting an envelope of cash, he placed the money inside a binder and fled.
An officer who reviewed surveillance video said he appeared to be about 5’6″ tall, 185 to 200 pounds, and in his 40s. He wore a black hat, a white short-sleeved shirt, black pants, black shoes, and a surgical mask. The man was described alternately as White, Hispanic, and Middle Eastern.
During the robbery, the man sprayed mace or pepper spray inside the bank, causing people to cough and suffer irritation. A Chicago Fire Department hazardous materials response team was seen at the bank. EMS transported one person to St. Francis Hospital in Evanston for treatment, officials said.
