A man who attempted to rob a West Side fried chicken restaurant at gunpoint is now under arrest, thanks to a woman who escaped and flagged down a police car, officials said.
Employees at Popeyes, 3457 West Roosevelt Road, were finishing up their shift at 11 p.m. on June 23 when Micah Harris, 28, climbed through the drive-thru window with a revolver, according to prosecutors. A 33-year-old female employee felt trouble and dashed out the door to seek assistance.
Meanwhile, prosecutors allege that Harris threatened, pushed, and ordered the other three employees around the restaurant while he attempted to enter the safe.
“Tell me where the safe is, or I’ll kill you,” he allegedly told a 58-year-old female employee at gunpoint. Harris then turned his attention to a 44-year-old male employee, demanding to know where the safe was before beating, kicking, and pistol-whipping him, according to prosecutors.
Unbeknownst to Harris, the employee who fled noticed a CPD squad car stopped at a red light outside the eatery, according to a police report.
“Help me!” Help me! “He has a gun,” she informed the authorities. “He’s trying to get into the safe!”
According to the complaint, the officers pulled a U-turn and entered the eatery, only to find the masked robber behind the counter, clothed in a black hoodie and gray jeans. Harris attempted to flee through the back door, but authorities apprehended him as he exited the restaurant with a loaded revolver in hand.
He faces charges including attempted armed robbery, aggravated armed kidnapping, aggravated unauthorized possession of a firearm, and multiple counts of unlawful restraint. Judge Deidre Dyer ordered Harris’ detention awaiting trial.