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Suspect tries to rob woman at bank ATM. Police say her boyfriend shot back.

The robbery suspect and the getaway driver were located at a nearby Goodwill, police say.

NORTH PORT, Fla. — A suspect who approached a woman at a bank ATM with a gun late Thursday night got an unexpected surprise. 

North Port police say at about 10:30 p.m., a robber with a loaded handgun approached the woman using a Suncoast Credit Union ATM on Aidan Lane when her boyfriend saw the situation going down. 

"We had a young lady who was going to the ATM, she retrieved some money from the ATM and was walking back to her car," North Port police spokesperson Josh Taylor said during a news conference Friday morning. "Where she was approached by somebody with a gun, saying you know, don't do anything silly."

The boyfriend hopped out of the vehicle and shot the robber with his own gun several times, police say.

"He got out of the vehicle and defended his girlfriend," Taylor said. 

Taylor later added people have the right to defend themselves. Taylor said he would have done the same thing if it would have been his wife.

The robbery suspect ran away with a getaway driver, according to police. Officers found both the suspects at a nearby Goodwill. 

"We got a call from someone who claimed that their brother had been shot," Taylor added. "And they were at the Goodwill parking lot, which was about half a mile away from the initial report of the gunshots." 

First responders airlifted the armed robbery suspect who was shot several times to an area hospital.

The boyfriend, who police say shot the suspect, came into police headquarters a couple of hours later. Investigators were later able to piece together what happened after speaking to all the witnesses and people involved.

"According to him, [the boyfriend] was scared, didn't know if he did the right thing, and it took him a little bit to come forward," Taylor said. 

Largo police say the suspect is talking and is expected to be okay. Both the suspect and getaway driver are in police custody.  According to law enforcement, they were identified as Ryan Warren, 19, and Eric McKenzie, 25 -- both of North Port. Authorities said they are both facing robbery with a firearm or deadly weapon charges. 

Officials said Warren was recovering Friday afternoon and will be processed into jail when he is healthy enough. McKenzie is currently in the Sarasota County jail.

Any potential witnesses are asked to contact North Port police. 

Credit: North Port Police

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