Bank Customer Halts Robbery With Handgun

Customer foils bank robbery attempt in Canton Township with his own handgun

Posted by Amalie Nash and Art Aisner | The Ann Arbor News June 18, 2008 11:02AM


It took a day of congratulatory calls from friends, customers and complete strangers before Nabil Fawzi realized the risk he took by pulling a gun on the would-be bank robber standing just feet away, claiming to have a bomb.

But the Ypsilanti Township gas station owner and father of three said he wouldn't hesitate to do it again.

"In my situation, I felt like I could do it, and I just did it because it felt like it was the right thing to do," said Fawzi, 39.


Joseph WebsterFawzi was the first customer at the Comerica Bank branch on Michigan Avenue in Canton Township at 9 a.m. Monday when police say would-be bank robber Joseph Webster, 53, of Ypsilanti walked in.
Webster allegedly handed a teller a note demanding money and claiming to have bomb strapped to his chest.

Fawzi, who frequently visits the branch on his daily commute from his home in Dearborn to his Sunoco station on Ecorse Road, noticed his own teller was acting strangely. When he asked what was wrong and she indicated a robbery was under way, Fawzi took action.

He said the robber at the adjacent teller station kept one hand behind his back at all times until the teller began doling out dollar bills. The robber demanded a stack of larger bills instead and moved both hands to the window to collect the cash.

Within seconds, Fawzi drew his handgun, racked a round in the chamber and told the man that he wasn't robbing the bank.
"But I have a bomb," the robber told Fawzi.


"I don't care," Fawzi replied. "You are not robbing this bank today." Fawzi said he searched Webster and found no bomb or any other weapons. Webster sat in a chair at gunpoint until police arrived.
Webster, 53, was arraigned on single counts of bank robbery, armed robbery and third offense habitual offender due to prior convictions for a sex offense and robbery. He was jailed on $100,000 bond, and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 27.

After the incident, Fawzi showed police his concealed weapons permit and was released.

Canton Police Detective Sgt. Rick Pomorski credited the customer for his quick actions - but noted that police prefer citizens to serve as witnesses instead of taking matters into their own hands in dangerous situations.

"We never condone that civilians take action when there's a propensity for violence and what could happen," Pomorski said. "We prefer they maintain their distance. That said, we're thankful for the way it turned out. He did a wonderful job securing the scene until we got there."

Fawzi, who is expecting his fourth child this fall, said he would probably would have acted differently if Webster had a gun, but he just did not believe the bomb threat. The Lebanese native said he was reacting on instincts he learned during five years of service in that country's army.

"When I saw his hands were empty I thought this was the right time to act, that if I could stop him, I would stop him."

If convicted, Webster faces up to 25 years in prison.

Fawzi said he and his business partner will celebrate by discounting gas by 5 cents and giving away hot dogs at the station located at 1024 Ecorse Road from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday.

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http://blog.mlive.com/annarbornews/2008/06/customer_foils_bank_robbery_at.html

Customer foils bank robbery attempt in Canton Township with his own handgun

Posted by Amalie Nash and Art Aisner | The Ann Arbor News June 18, 2008 11:02AM


It took a day of congratulatory calls from friends, customers and complete strangers before Nabil Fawzi realized the risk he took by pulling a gun on the would-be bank robber standing just feet away, claiming to have a bomb.

But the Ypsilanti Township gas station owner and father of three said he wouldn't hesitate to do it again.

"In my situation, I felt like I could do it, and I just did it because it felt like it was the right thing to do," said Fawzi, 39.


Joseph WebsterFawzi was the first customer at the Comerica Bank branch on Michigan Avenue in Canton Township at 9 a.m. Monday when police say would-be bank robber Joseph Webster, 53, of Ypsilanti walked in.
Webster allegedly handed a teller a note demanding money and claiming to have bomb strapped to his chest.

Fawzi, who frequently visits the branch on his daily commute from his home in Dearborn to his Sunoco station on Ecorse Road, noticed his own teller was acting strangely. When he asked what was wrong and she indicated a robbery was under way, Fawzi took action.

He said the robber at the adjacent teller station kept one hand behind his back at all times until the teller began doling out dollar bills. The robber demanded a stack of larger bills instead and moved both hands to the window to collect the cash.

Within seconds, Fawzi drew his handgun, racked a round in the chamber and told the man that he wasn't robbing the bank.
"But I have a bomb," the robber told Fawzi.


"I don't care," Fawzi replied. "You are not robbing this bank today." Fawzi said he searched Webster and found no bomb or any other weapons. Webster sat in a chair at gunpoint until police arrived.
Webster, 53, was arraigned on single counts of bank robbery, armed robbery and third offense habitual offender due to prior convictions for a sex offense and robbery. He was jailed on $100,000 bond, and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 27.

After the incident, Fawzi showed police his concealed weapons permit and was released.

Canton Police Detective Sgt. Rick Pomorski credited the customer for his quick actions - but noted that police prefer citizens to serve as witnesses instead of taking matters into their own hands in dangerous situations.

"We never condone that civilians take action when there's a propensity for violence and what could happen," Pomorski said. "We prefer they maintain their distance. That said, we're thankful for the way it turned out. He did a wonderful job securing the scene until we got there."

Fawzi, who is expecting his fourth child this fall, said he would probably would have acted differently if Webster had a gun, but he just did not believe the bomb threat. The Lebanese native said he was reacting on instincts he learned during five years of service in that country's army.

"When I saw his hands were empty I thought this was the right time to act, that if I could stop him, I would stop him."

If convicted, Webster faces up to 25 years in prison.

Fawzi said he and his business partner will celebrate by discounting gas by 5 cents and giving away hot dogs at the station located at 1024 Ecorse Road from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday.

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ConditionThree wrote:
Within seconds, Fawzi drew his handgun, racked a round in the chamber and told the man that he wasn't robbing the bank.

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LOL How appropriate that ConditionThree would be the one posting this story.

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"Fawzi didn't stick his head up his a** and sit in the corner crying, so we detained him because he might be a danger to society. What was he thinking? Carrying a gun into a bank--there's no need for that. We didn't have enough evidence to charge him, and he seemed sorry for his intentionally pulling a weapon and endangering the public, so we let him off after telling him he'll be arrested if he decides to pull another stunt like that. The DA will probably press charges at a later time for Fawzi impersonating a police officer after we've interviewed more witnesses."

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http://blog.mlive.com/annarbornews/2008/06/customer_foils_bank_robbery_at.html

Customer foils bank robbery attempt in Canton Township with his own handgun

Posted by Amalie Nash and Art Aisner | The Ann Arbor News June 18, 2008 11:02AM


It took a day of congratulatory calls from friends, customers and complete strangers before Nabil Fawzi realized the risk he took by pulling a gun on the would-be bank robber standing just feet away, claiming to have a bomb.

But the Ypsilanti Township gas station owner and father of three said he wouldn't hesitate to do it again.

"In my situation, I felt like I could do it, and I just did it because it felt like it was the right thing to do," said Fawzi, 39.


Joseph WebsterFawzi was the first customer at the Comerica Bank branch on Michigan Avenue in Canton Township at 9 a.m. Monday when police say would-be bank robber Joseph Webster, 53, of Ypsilanti walked in.
Webster allegedly handed a teller a note demanding money and claiming to have bomb strapped to his chest.

Fawzi, who frequently visits the branch on his daily commute from his home in Dearborn to his Sunoco station on Ecorse Road, noticed his own teller was acting strangely. When he asked what was wrong and she indicated a robbery was under way, Fawzi took action.

He said the robber at the adjacent teller station kept one hand behind his back at all times until the teller began doling out dollar bills. The robber demanded a stack of larger bills instead and moved both hands to the window to collect the cash.

Within seconds, Fawzi drew his handgun, racked a round in the chamber and told the man that he wasn't robbing the bank.
"But I have a bomb," the robber told Fawzi.


"I don't care," Fawzi replied. "You are not robbing this bank today." Fawzi said he searched Webster and found no bomb or any other weapons. Webster sat in a chair at gunpoint until police arrived.
Webster, 53, was arraigned on single counts of bank robbery, armed robbery and third offense habitual offender due to prior convictions for a sex offense and robbery. He was jailed on $100,000 bond, and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 27.

After the incident, Fawzi showed police his concealed weapons permit and was released.

Canton Police Detective Sgt. Rick Pomorski credited the customer for his quick actions - but noted that police prefer citizens to serve as witnesses instead of taking matters into their own hands in dangerous situations.

"We never condone that civilians take action when there's a propensity for violence and what could happen," Pomorski said. "We prefer they maintain their distance. That said, we're thankful for the way it turned out. He did a wonderful job securing the scene until we got there."

Fawzi, who is expecting his fourth child this fall, said he would probably would have acted differently if Webster had a gun, but he just did not believe the bomb threat. The Lebanese native said he was reacting on instincts he learned during five years of service in that country's army.

"When I saw his hands were empty I thought this was the right time to act, that if I could stop him, I would stop him."

If convicted, Webster faces up to 25 years in prison.

Fawzi said he and his business partner will celebrate by discounting gas by 5 cents and giving away hot dogs at the station located at 1024 Ecorse Road from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday.

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just that things could have been a lot worse if the guy wasn't bluffing.

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They do have what they call "dead man switches/triggers". It works so that if you kill the bomber the bomb still goes off. Usually it works that the bomber holds a button instead of just pushing it. As long as he holds it the bomb doesn't go off, but as soon as he lets go it goes boom. It isn't 100% effective but it does work. Granted it is more of a matyrdom type technique but it isn't impossible for a robber to use it. If you don't want to go back to prison it's the ultimate fail safe, you know other than not robbing banks.

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Yea, yea. All I'm saying is that things could have been worse. Also, if I hear a guy has a bomb I'd probably think a little harder before I confront the guy. Because if I confront the bad guy who actually has a bomb and I'm forced to shoot I'm going to be shooting at explosives. One of the rules is to know your target and what is beyond it. Beyond me shooting at this scumbag might be a fiery future with broken glass and charred remains if he isn't bluffing.

I wasn't in that situation and I can think and type all I want now without any consequence. It seems he knew what he was doing, being from the Libyan army he has probably seen and/or had training on bombers. I'm not condemning Mr. Fawzi, just stating that things could have been worse.

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