Members of the Chattanooga SWAT team gather around an armored vehicle outside of a home on Dodson Avenue during a more than four-hour standoff and search for the suspected robber of the Third Street Cricket store Tuesday in Chattanooga. The SWAT team was unable to locate the suspect within the home.VIDEO
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Chattanooga police were still looking for a suspect in an attempted robbery Tuesday evening after a SWAT call out to a residence on Dodson Avenue yielded no results.
A witness, who police declined to elaborate on, saw a man who attempted to rob the Cricket store on East Third Street just before 2 p.m. Tuesday and later make entry into the residence. No one was injured during the robbery attempt.
"At one point someone had seen the suspect enter the residence," said Master Patrol Officer Nathan Hartwig.
Police have active warrants for 19-year-old Dameion Reynolds for attempted aggravated robbery. He was reportedly armed with a handgun. Police believe he is armed and dangerous.
The car, which was seen leaving the store after the robbery, was also found at 551 Dodson Ave. where Reynolds and his mother reside.
"That's why officers surrounded the house. We called out the SWAT team and negotiation team to try and make contact with him. No contact was ever made. We made entry into the residence and he was not there," Hartwig said.
A portion of the street was blocked for hours and not cleared until 7:30 p.m. Some residents had to be evacuated from their homes.
State Rep. Joanne Favors, who normally travels on Dodson Avenue, stopped Tuesday afternoon.
"This is so sad," she said, standing amongst residents. "I wish all of this crime would stop. It ruins too many lives."
Reynolds filed a federal lawsuit against a Chattanooga Police Department officer last year stemming from a 2011 incident when he was detained after officers were investigating a burglary near his home.
The lawsuit alleges that Reynolds was struck in the chest by Officer Mario Cunningham after Reynolds was already handcuffed with both hands behind his back. Reynolds' mother told officers that her son had "hardware" in his back from a surgery and could be paralyzed if not careful. Reynolds is seeking $200,000 in damages.
Anyone with information about Reynolds' whereabouts is asked to call Chattanooga police at 698-2525.
Contact staff writer Beth Burger at bburger@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6406. Follow her on Twitter at twitter.com/abburger.