Citizen steps in to stop alleged Ottawa robbery suspect

A citizen stepped in to detain a suspect during an attempted robbery at a business in Ottawa’s south end. CTV’s Tyler Fleming reports.

A man says he tackled and restrained a robbery suspect using a dog leash after recognizing him outside a Pet Valu on River Road in Ottawa’s south end Wednesday night.

Gary LaRowe says he was picking up his partner, who works as a groomer at the Pet Valu in Ottawa’s Riverside South community, when she spotted a man matching the description of a suspect wanted in a string of robberies at the store and the neighbouring Subway.

“We followed him into the store just in time to hear him ask the cashier, ‘Do you know why I’m here?’” says LaRowe. “She said, ‘I do,’ and handed him the register. As soon as he reached for the cash, I grabbed his hands.”

LaRowe says he pulled the man to the ground, restrained him using a dog leash, provided by staff, to tie his hands behind his back, and waited for police. He added the suspect initially resisted but gave up quickly.

“When he felt how strong I had a hold of him, he gave up immediately. He started pleading, ‘Please let me go. I’ll leave. I’ll never come back,’” he says. “And I told him, ‘You’re done, don’t try to fight the cops or the cops are on their way.’”

According to LaRowe, a needle fell from the man’s pocket during the struggle.

“He said it was juice inside, but you can’t trust it.” he says.

While waiting for police to arrive, the man told LaRowe he was 46-years-old and had been injured in a fall while roofing.

“He had a lot to say, a lot of finger-pointing. He said, ‘Oh, it’s drugs and it’s I got hurt and I’m going to be evicted,’” says LaRowe. “And you want to feel some empathy for people but, you know, there’s got to be some accountability somewhere. He chose to come in and try to rob the place.”

LaRowe says the suspect had a distinct hunch in his posture along with a limp to his walk, the same body language caught on security camera during the previous incidents.

Under the Criminal Code of Canada, citizens are permitted to make an arrest if they witness a serious offence in progress and act using reasonable force.

LaRowe says officers arrived after what he claims was around a two hour wait.

“It’s unfortunate that it took so long,” he says. “When they got there, the officer told me it was during shift change.”

He says officers had him help stand-up the man and remove the leash-made-restraint before placing him in handcuffs, adding police took verbal and written statements on the scene.

A previous release from police said a suspect entered a store on River Road on June 20, brandished a weapon, and demanded cash.

An Ottawa police spokesperson told CTV News Ottawa Friday afternoon the man arrested at the Pet Valu was the same suspect wanted in connection to the June 20 robbery.

Const. Fern John-Simon said on Wednesday, the suspect entered a business in the 600 block of River Road and demanded cash.

“During that time, he was subsequently detained by members of the public until officers arrived on the scene,” John-Simon said.

When asked about LaRowe’s claim it took police two hours to arrive, John-Simon said there was a “high-call volume” at the time of the robbery on Wednesday.

Police say during the course of the investigation, “it became apparent that the suspect was involved in multiple robberies in that area.”

A 45-year-old Ottawa man is facing five counts of robbery, disguise with intent and possession of a weapon. He is scheduled to appear in court next week.

“The Ottawa Police Service appreciated the public’s vigilance; we do not encourage citizens to attempt arrests. If you witness a crime in progress, please call police immediately,” police said in a statement Friday afternoon.

LaRowe, who is originally from Ohio, says he’s working on obtaining permanent residency in Canada. He’s currently staying with his partner but may need to return to the U.S. in August to reset his visitor status.

“If I can get permanent residency, I’d definitely look into becoming a police officer,” he says. “I didn’t know I had a knack for this but apparently I do.”

He says he stepped in not for recognition, but to help protect his partner and others who felt unsafe after a series of incidents.

“The cashier that he robbed last time was the same girl that was here when he tried to rob it again,” says LaRowe. “She hasn’t been able to sleep. After the first robbery she hasn’t been able to live her life like a normal person should. So, I hope that this brings closure to that part of her life and other too including my partner. I hope that people don’t feel unsafe. There’s this beautiful community of people who shouldn’t be worried about things like that. There’s no place for crime.”

CTV News Ottawa has reached out to Pet Valu for comment, but did not hear back before publishing.

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