Davidson County Deputy Jeff Athey was scheduled to work the night shift Tuesday. Before going on duty, he allegedly decided to rob a Rockwell, North Carolina, bank, according to WSOC-TV.
Around 4 p.m., Athey reportedly entered a local bank with a semi-automatic weapon, demanding cash.
A witness who was at the drive-thru window saw the panic inside, as employees scrambled for safety and the drive-thru teller informed her through the window that the bank was being robbed.
It’s unclear whether or how much money he reportedly took from the bank, but he left the bank quickly and was arrested by police within four minutes of the robbery attempt.
Athey, who was immediately terminated once he was caught, had worked at the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office for years and was formerly a private contractor for Blackwater, working in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Athey worked in the civil division of the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office, transporting involuntary commitments.
Davidson County Sheriff David Grice said he was surprised by Athey’s actions.
“I am as shocked and appalled as anyone else at Mr. Athey’s behavior," Grice said. “We have a lot of employees, a lot of other agencies and law enforcement. It reflects badly on everyone.”
“I’m thankful that Mr. Athey did not injure anyone during this incident and that he did not resist arrest,” Grice added.
Aaron Colen
Aaron is a former staff writer for TheBlaze. He resides in Denton, Texas, and is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma where he earned his Bachelor of Arts in journalism and a Master of Education in adult and higher education.