UPDATED (Mar. 10, 11: 55 a.m.): Investigators have identified the suspected bank robber who duct taped bank employees and led police on a chase and shootout through Rockdale Wednesday afternoon.

 Cepeda Broughton, 40, of Atlanta is facing federal charges of bank robbery and the use of a weapon in the commission of a crime.

At approximately 3 p.m. on Wednesday, a lone black male entered the credit union and announced a robbery while jumping over a teller counter while brandishing a handgun. During the robbery, the robber moved three employees and one customer to a back room. The robber then had an additional employee duct tape those other employees and customer. Prior to departing the credit union with an undisclosed amount of money, the robber also duct taped the employee that had been forced to assist him.

Broughton goes before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in Atlanta later today for his initial court appearance.

Investigators are witholding his image "due to the pending nature of the matter," wrote FBI Atlanta spokesperson Stephen Emmett.

-----------------------------------

(Mar. 9, 6:40 p.m.) In what could have been a scene out of an action movie, a bank robber led police on a bruising chase down Sigman Road and Ga. Highway 138, was forced to crash, and got into a shootout with police as he tried to escape on foot before he eventually gave up and was arrested. Reportedly no one was injured in the incident.

Conyers Police Chief Gene Wilson said police received a call of a bank robbery in progress at the Georgia's Own Credit Union on Sigman Road around 3 p.m.

Officers saw the suspect, who was unidentified as of press time, leaving the Credit Union in a red GMC Yukon SUV, which turned out to be stolen from Clayton County, and followed the suspect as he headed down Sigman Road towards Salem Road.

The suspect then made a sudden U-turn and crashed into a police unit as well as a few civilian cars.

“He was going through people and pushing them out of the way,” said Wilson. “It was watching a ping pong match right in front of you.”

The suspect headed south on Ga. Highway 138, where police had blocked off the road at Pine Log Park.
Wilson was in the northbound lane of 138 and said he jumped the median as he saw the suspect go by in the southbound lane.

As the suspect pushed his way through traffic, he began heading into the Auto Zone parking lot.

Wilson said he feared the suspect would start heading towards CJ Hicks Elementary and Rockdale County High School, which had just let out for the day down the road on Pine Log Road.

“I rammed him knocked him off the road into a telephone pole,” said Wilson. “He jumped out with a weapon shooting at the police.”

Officers returned the gunfire, and the suspect ran behind the Auto Zone into the Briar Creek Apartments before he gave up and was placed under arrest.

Wilson said no officers were shot or injured during the chase. “Everybody’s in real good shape,” he said.
Two or three police cars were heavily damaged.

Investigators are seeking charges of aggravated assault and armed robbery, among other likely charges. FBI investigators will also be looking at placing charges, said Wilson.

The Georgia's Own Credit Union branch was also the site of the attempted robbery in January by National Guard soldiers.

-----------------------------------

(Mar. 9, 5:12 p.m.) IN BRIEF: A man spotted escaping from a credit union bank robbery on Sigman Road led police on a high speed chase through Sigman Road and Ga. Highway 138 before being pushed into a telephone pole near the Auto Zone store on 138 around 3 p.m. According to Conyers Police Chief Gene Wilson, the suspect then tried to escape on foot while firing at police with a handgun before giving up and being placed under arrest.

Check back to www.rockdalenews.com for more