The suspect in an armed bank robbery with a hatchet and assault of an employee has been charged, police announced on Monday.
Blake Herring, 22, is charged with one count of bank robbery and one count of assault with intent to murder. Herring was arraigned and given a $2 million cash/surety bond.
See video of the arrest below
According to Southfield Police Chief Elvin Barren, Herring was caught on surveillance video hours before the robbery, purchasing the hatchet and taking practice swings.
Officers were called to the PNC Bank around 12:35 p.m. on a report of an armed robbery. Originally, police had arrested a 55-year-old Detroit man, as they received a call three minutes before the robbery about an assault of apartment employees 1/4 mile from the bank. However, that was a separate case.
Barren said he did speak with the victim who was hit in the head during the robbery. He said she's in good spirits, but was in the hospital for several days. She's now home recovering.
See video of the suspect inside the Meijer below
According to police, surveillance video also showed Herring walking up to the building before the robbery, then turning around and sitting in the car for 30 minutes. Barren said he believes Herring was hesitating to enter the bank before eventually robbing it.
Herring was later taken into custody and police found around $2,000 inside the apartment where Herring was arrested and around $500 inside a car Herring was in.
