BLUEFIELD, W.Va. (AP) - Bluefield Police Chief Dennis Dillow says he disabled a banker robber's rifle during a gunfight by "the grace of God."
Dillow tells the Bluefield Daily Telegraph that the first shot he fired hit the AK-47's slide-action mechanism, which caused it to jam.
Dillow says 33-year-old Cedrick Maurice Williams of Bluefield fired at him and other officers on Tuesday after Williams robbed one downtown bank and attempted to rob another one. Williams was killed in an exchange of gunfire as he tried to flee.
The police chief says Williams also had two handguns and continued firing at officers after the rifle was disabled.
Dillow says he thought Williams dropped the rifle because he'd run out of ammunition. The police chief later learned that that he had disabled the weapon.