Bank robbery triggers lockdown at Bloomington schools

BLOOMINGTON— On Tuesday, a bank robbery on the city’s south side led to precautionary lockdowns at Bloomington High School South and Templeton Elementary School. The incident occurred around 11:50 a.m. at the JC Bank located at 2421 South Walnut Street, where a masked man entered and handed a note to a teller demanding cash.

According to a statement from the Bloomington Police Department, the suspect fled the scene on foot with an undisclosed amount of money. Officers responded quickly to the hold-up alarm and initiated a search for the robber.

Given the bank’s proximity to the schools—approximately half a mile—administrators decided to implement a shelter-in-place protocol for students and staff. During the lockdown, police thoroughly searched surrounding areas, including parking lots and residential neighborhoods.

As of mid-afternoon, the suspect had not been located. Authorities are actively investigating the case and are asking anyone with information to come forward.

Detective Rob Shrake of the Bloomington Police Department can be reached at 812-349-3352 or via email at shraker@bloomington.in.gov.