A man who allegedly tried to rob a bank and then a woman is behind bars this afternoon after being chased down by a pair of witnesses and an off-duty officer.

At approximately 11:45 a.m. on July 13, 2012, Shreveport Police patrol officers were dispatched to a reported attempted bank robbery at the Regions Bank in the 300 block of Texas Street. At the very same time, a call regarding a woman being robbed of her purse in the same area came in to dispatchers. Upon arrival, officers discovered two male suspects entered the bank where one of them approached a teller with a note demanding money. For some reason, the suspects left the business without receiving any cash. Once outside of the bank, one of the men, later identified as 38 year old Johnny Jackson, accosted 57 year old Karleen Silvertooth, telling her he had a gun and wanted her purse. Ms. Silvertooth refused and Jackson attacked her, physically taking her handbag.

Jackson fled the scene of the crime on foot, but not before a concerned citizen observed what was happening and gave chase. With the good samaritan in hot pursuit, Jackson fell down on Milam Street near Market Street where the citizen, assisted by another man, detained him. Shreveport Police Corporal Jerry Curtis, who was working an off-duty job nearby, heard the ruckus and immediately responded, taking Jackson into custody. The other suspect is still at large. Ms. Silvertooth was transported to a local hospital by the Shreveport Fire department with non-life-threatening injuries.

Jackson, who does not have a home address, was booked into the Shreveport City Jail on one count of attempted first degree robbery and one count of second degree robbery. Detectives are looking for the second suspect in the bank caper and are releasing surveillance images of that man. Anyone with any information regarding this crime is urged to contact Shreveport-Caddo Parish Crime Stoppers at 318-673-7373.