Murphy, Texas -- (July 18, 2018) An attempted robbery was foiled by officers of the Murphy Police Department today as a woman entered the Bank of America branch at 113 E. FM 544 and poured lighter fluid and gasoline on the lobby floor and demanded cash.

Alert tellers and office personnel called 9-1-1 at around 1:24 p.m., and when Murphy officers arrived on the scene, the 36-year-old female suspect ran out of the building toward her car.  Police elected not to draw weapons as no immediate danger to themselves or surrounding individuals was apparent.  They did, however, attempted to impede her escape by tasing her.  When that proved unsuccessful, officers used pepper spray on the woman.

When she reached her car, she pulled a small child out of the vehicle and attempted to use the child as a shield.  She eventually surrendered.

She was arrested and remanded to the Collin County Detention Center where she remains.

Out of an abundance of caution, the child was taken to Children’s Medical Center to ensure that the child did not suffer any consequences from the pepper spray that had been used on the woman.

No injuries were reported by bank personnel or the Police Department.  Clean-up at the bank is underway.

Identification of the suspect and her relation to the child are currently being verified.

ABOUT MURPHY -- Murphy is a fast-growing community located in Collin County. The population is approximately 19,330, generally characterized as highly educated with a median household income above the state average.  With more than 70 percent of the land developed, the community is dominated by single-family residences.  City planners strive to preserve a country feel while exhibiting an aggressive economic development stance.  Money Magazine has dubbed Murphy as the 27th Best Place to Live in America for small cities, and D Magazine placed Murphy as the fifth best suburb in the 2014 list, where it has consistently ranked in the top 10.