Iowa Police Capture Bank Robbery Suspect

DES MOINES, Iowa --

Police said Monday that a Des Moines man wanted in connection with two bank robberies last week has been captured.

Ray Edward Lee, 50, was arrested at 12:07 p.m. Monday at Southwest 7th and Martin Luther King Parkway, police said.

Lee was first spotted by a detective in the 1700 block of 9th Street getting into a car with two other men. Police followed the car until it stopped at Southwest 9th and Tuttle.

Police spokesman Sgt. Christopher Scott said Lee got out of the car, pointed his hands at officers like he hand a weapon and then took off running. Officers ran after Lee and attempted to stop him with pepper spray and a Taser, but Lee did not stop.

At one point Lee pulled a knife and slashed a detective's coat, Scott said. Officers then took him into custody.

Police said Lee is a suspect in the robbery of the U.S. Bank at 555 Walnut St. and the U.S. Bank at 115 Euclid Ave.

Police said Lee has a history of robbing banks and has finished an 11 year sentence in prison. He is still on probation.

Lee is charged with two counts of first-degree robbery and one count of attempted murder.

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