November 8, 2009

AIKEN, S.C. -- A man took his own life as public safety officers moved in to arrest him Saturday afternoon following an armed robbery at Burger King.

Two other suspects from that robbery have been arrested and investigators are seeking a fourth.

The robbery happened at 12:45pm at the Burger King near the intersection York Street and Rutland Drive. Four men dressed in black and armed with guns walked into the restaurant while customers were inside, Sgt. Aaron Dowdy said.

Customers and employees were forced into the kitchen's cooler while the robbers took money from the register, Dowdy said.

There were no reports of injuries or shots fired during the robbery.

Aiken Public Safety officers responded and captured one man behind the restaurant. A second suspect was spotted in a vacant home and taken into custody.

The department said it had arrested 25-year-old Sean Mark Rodriguez and 27-year-old Robert Mills Jr., both from Columbia. The men will face armed robbery and kidnapping charges.

A third suspect approached a driver at a nearby car wash and carjacked him, demanding to be taken to the other side of Aiken where he took off on foot, Dowdy said. Police are still searching for him.

A fourth suspect was spotted in a wooded area, but he took his own life as officers moved towards the area he was hiding, the department said.

Aiken county coroner Tim Carlton identified the man Sunday as Richard Lee Simmons, a 24 year old from Columbia. He died from a head wound caused by a self-inflicted gunshot.

The robbery caused a brief scare at nearby North Aiken Elementary School. Families were gathered for a carnival, but police put the school on lock down and moved people into the gym following the robbery. The carnival resumed later in the afternoon.