Would-Be Robber Killed

REPORT STATES OFFICER FIRED GUN TO STOP MAN FROM ESCAPING

By Kate Ward

Thursday, December 3, 2009

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Fayetteville firefighters and paramedics from Central EMS prepare to transport Matthew L. Anderson Wednesday after he was shot by police while he allegedly tried to rob the Arvest Bank branch on Garland Avenue in Fayetteville.

Fayetteville firefighters and paramedics from Central EMS prepare to transport Matthew L. Anderson Wednesday after he was shot by police while he allegedly tried to rob the Arvest Bank branch on Garland Avenue in Fayetteville.
Photo by J.T. Wampler

A Fayetteville police officer killed a would-be bank robber Wednesday afternoon as he rammed his car into one behind him in a drive-through lane, investigators said.

Matthew L. Anderson, 29, of Elkins was taken to Washington Regional Medical Center. Emergency medical workers appeared to be performing CPR on him as they left the bank, witnesses said.

A man who identifi ed himself as Anderson’s stepfather - but would not give his name - said Anderson was not a violent person.

“He’s a very nice person. He had a lot of problems. He’s unemployed. It was a damned dirty deal,” the man said. The stepfather was reached by calling a phone number on Anderson’s police record.

Since 2000, Anderson ...

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News, Pages 1 on 12/03/2009

Comments

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A4 says...

I dont agree with what the bank robber did but does your photographer not think before they take photographs this is someones CHILD and having that picture posted on the front page in unnecessary could of had a different angle or something, His mother not only has to remember what he did wrong but see him lying there shot ON THE FRONT PAGE! that is why people get upset with you newspaper people!!!!!

December 3, 2009 at 12:08 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

99Cummins says...

Give it a rest..... Dude shouldnt have robbed the back. His family couldnt have changed that. Actually they could have; my dad has raised me up to the extent of making me always be employed. I get in major trouble for even a traffic ticket. He should have had better childhood living.

And the papers arent showing his really. you cant really even see his body

December 3, 2009 at 2:10 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

A4 says...

I hope you never are on that side of the fence, I don't care what the person did, if this person was raised to the best the parents, some people just go thru hard times the paper could have not shown him laying there on the front I don't know what paper you reading but YES you can see his body there, have some compassion for his mother and no one was asking how you were raised, like I said if you have kids of your own I hope your never on that side of the fence!!

December 3, 2009 at 4:07 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

Hindering says...

Sad the entire situation and the paper perhaps could have used a different photo. However, it does show the people the reality of the situation and when a person makes a bad choice the consequences can become fatal. As having compassion, I think we all do for everyone involved.

December 3, 2009 at 5:39 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

plympton says...

This should be a lesson to others, crime doesn't pay. Folks this is the real world and these things happen. Not showing the photo with the rescue workers is just further insulating the public from reality in life. Our World isn't all roses, flowers, and puppy dogs.

December 6, 2009 at 11:52 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

Hogs_Rule says...

Crime is wrong, but a lot of people were raised right and were laid off, at no fault of their own.Just because someone is unemployed does not mean that they do not want to work or that they were not raised properly.

December 8, 2009 at 9:58 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

99Cummins says...

he has prior charges? he wasnt laid off idiot....

the kids i went to highschool with didnt try drugs cause of curiosity, they didnt have a home based family. they lived on their own and didnt get their asses busted when they did wrong. i sure did and im a fulltime student, part time worker, and i am on arkansas athletics... whats your argument now?

December 29, 2009 at 2:01 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

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