PANAMA CITY — Two people have been arrested in connection with an armed robbery of a downtown bank and getaway attempt, according the Panama City Police Department officials.
PCPD arrested Justin Travis Long, 22, and Ashley Danielle Gibson, 27, both from Knoxville, Tenn., after receiving reports Wednesday morning of a masked gunman at the Centennial Bank, 701 Harrison Ave., demanding money from tellers, PCPD reported.
How much money was taken remained unclear Wednesday, however no injuries were reported.
Shortly before 10:30 a.m., PCPD received a call reporting a robbery alarm had been activated at Centennial Bank. According to police, dispatchers contacted a teller at the bank who said an armed robbery had just occurred. A man with a surgical mask handed the teller a robbery note and threatened the teller with a gun, they told police.
The masked man then fled the scene with cash from the teller drawer and entered a waiting vehicle in the parking lot, police reported.
The bank employee was able to describe the suspect and the car he’d left in, and patrol officers stopped the car, about four blocks away, at 11th Street and Grace Avenue. Long and Gibson were within the vehicle along with the money, the robbery note, mask and gun, officers said.
Police did not release how much money was recovered from the suspects.
Long has been charged with armed bank robbery. Gibson was charged with principal to armed bank robbery. Both were taken to Bay County Jail to await first appearance.
Formerly Doral Bank, Centennial in February took over operations of the four Bay County branches. Following the incident, the bank had a sign on the front door that the business would be temporarily closed.
Eric King, marketing director with the bank, said Centennial’s drive thru remained open Wednesday and walk-in operations will resume today. King also confirmed that no one was injured in the incident.
“Everybody was safe and sound,” he said. “That is our first priority, the safety of our employees and our customers.”