The quick thinking of a bank teller, and the help from a homeowner resulted in Kennewick Police catching a would-be robber Wednesday.
The Man Held up the Key Bank Branch in Downtown
Around noon, a teller at the bank was approached by a male suspect who claimed he had a gun. She was able to, as Police put it, “make the call’ to alert on the incident.
Officers swarmed the facility, located at 23 West Kennewick Ave. and arrived just as the suspect was fleeing. Identified later as Christopher Blakely, the man ran south, but was tracked to a residence on West 3rd. Ave.
The bank location is toward the east end of the Downtown Kennewick Parkade.
location of bank–google street view
Homeowner Helps Detain him Til Police Arrive
The KPD said the man, who’d been arrested for a non-related offense earlier this week, was detained, with Officers closing fast they caught him without incident.
The location was about 3 blocks from the crime scene. Blakely will now be booked again on the newer charges.
No reports of any injuries to anyone during the incident. Kennewick has had only one bank robbery since the beginning of 2025.
HE is the same suspect who was arrested Monday with a shopping cart full of stolen goods totaling over $1,200, he was found passed out in some bushes near the Kennewick Target. He told Officers his behavior was because of the “420” pot holiday.
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