APD Apprehends Armed Felon at Bus Stop Following Robbery Report Wednesday Morning

 

Armond Eppenger. FB profiles
Armond Eppenger. FB profiles

A 20-year-old robbery suspect was arrested at the bus stop at Debarr and Turpin on Wednesday after a patrol officer was flagged down by his victim APD reported.

The patrol officer was flagged down by a victim waving his arms frantically near Debarr and Ermine at 4:59 am. When stopped, the officer was told by the man bleeding from the head, that he had just been robbed at gunpoint and pistol-whipped near Peck and Grand Larry shortly before.

The victim reported that he had been walking at that location when the suspect, later identified as 20-year-old Armond J. Eppenger Jr, approached him, pointed a handgun at him and demanded that he empty his pockets. Fearing that he would be shot if he refused, the victim complied.

Subsequently, the victim was struck in the head with the weapon and had his cell phone taken away from him. After which, the suspect walked away. But, “the victim followed the suspect at a distance until he saw an officer he could flag down for help,” APD reported.

After relating to the officer what had transpired, the victim gave a description of the suspect which the officer recognized as a person he had just seen at the bus stop at Debarr and Turpin.

While underway to the bus stop, the officer radioed in a locate for the suspect and he and other officers responded to the bus stop where they found Eppenger sitting on the bus stop bench. Police gave commands for the suspect to put his hands up and he initially did so. But, “when the suspect was told to stand up, he hesitated and kept putting his hands down at his waistband even though he was repeatedly told not to,” APD said in their report.


Eppenger pulled the firearm from his waistband and threw it onto the bench beside him then raised his hands in the air, but refused any other commands. He was quickly approached and taken into custody.

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The suspect was transported to the department for questioning. Following that, Eppenger was further transported to the Anchorage Correctional Center and remanded there on charges of Robbery I, Assault II, and Misconduct Involving a Weapon III-Felon in Possession.