Clayton News Daily

By Daniel Silliman

dsilliman@news-daily.com

An armed, masked man was held down, and captured, by five workers in Forest Park until the police arrived and arrested him.

Forest Park police said the employees of Aaron's Rent to Own only allowed themselves to be pushed so far, and then they put a stop to it.

The police received a 911 call at about 8:45 a.m., Tuesday, reporting that a man was attempting to rob the 4634 Jonesboro Road business, and was being wrestled down by employees.

The rental store was closed when the robbery began, according to Maj. Chris Matson, Forest Park Police Department spokesman. As the morning shift arrived, a man in a mask put a gun to an employee's back and entered the store.

Once inside, the masked man allegedly ordered the employees to give him money. They did. They gave him almost $5,000, according to the police spokesman.

But then, the man demanded more money.

"The man was growing more dangerous," Matson said. "Employees banded together and overtook him, removing the gun from his hand and holding him until officers arrived."

One employee had been hit in the head with the handgun, according to police, and the accused robber had a cut over one eye. When he was unmasked, police identified the armed robbery suspect as a familiar Forest Park High School alum, 21-year-old Shawn Henderson.

Henderson was taken "to Southern Regional Medical Center where he was treated for injuries sustained during the struggle with employees," Matson said.

After the hospital patched him up, police arrested the 21-year-old.

Henderson was charged with armed robbery; aggravated assault; battery; false imprisonment; kidnapping; possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony; carrying a pistol without a license; and wearing a mask in public.