A robbery suspect was arrested in Pompano Beach after police say he shot at officers and barricaded himself in a home leading to an intense, hours-long SWAT standoff for several hours early Thursday morning.
The incident began with a robbery at a 7-11 at 820 West McNab Road in Fort Lauderdale around 11:30 p.m., police said.
Police say the suspect, identified as 27-year-old Richard Robinson, was seen firing a handgun several times from his car at closed businesses and a parked car in front of the 7-11.
Robinson entered the store and demanded cash from the clerk at gunpoint, police said.
When police arrived at the convenience store, Robinson opened fire on officers and fled the scene in his car, police said.
Robinson finally stopped at The Windward Lakes condominium complex at 4005 West McNab Road in Pompano and made his way into his own home, where he barricaded himself for nearly five hours, police said.
He finally gave up around 4 a.m. after police used tear gas canisters to draw him out.
No officers were injured.
Robinson was charged with robbery with a firearm and two counts of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer with a firearm.
The incident frightened residents of the complex, including one woman who said she came face-to-face with the suspect.
"I came out onto my patio and I saw the lights, when I got to the bottom of the stairs i saw this man, he had a gun," said resident Cindy Clark. "I turned around and he followed me...I thought I was gonna get shot in the back, I had no idea what he was doing."
