Charleston Police and the Bradley County Sheriff’s Office responded to the BP fuel station at 9091 Hiwassee Street in Charleston on Thursday at 1 p.m. with regard to a possible armed robbery.
According to information gathered from the scene, a man entered the store wearing a mask while brandishing a handgun.
The suspect assaulted the store clerk and attempted to prevent the clerk from trying to escape during the altercation. Prior to the arrival of law enforcement, the suspect fled the store. Crime scene investigators processed the scene for possible evidence while other law enforcement officers canvassed the area.
Although a suspect could not be located during the time of the initial response, diligent efforts by detectives and crime scene investigators did not end. The investigation remained very active into the evening hours. Detectives were able to determine the gun used during the incident was an air soft type pistol. Forensic evidence collected from the scene led investigators to the robbery suspect, who was identified as Kenneth Boyd, 29, of Charleston.
Shortly before 11 p.m., Boyd was located at a Cleveland address and taken into custody by patrol deputies and fugitive investigators from the Bradley County Sheriff’s Office. He was arrested on warrants related to the robbery in Charleston.
Boyd was transported to the Bradley County Jail, where he was booked on charges including attempted aggravated robbery and aggravated kidnapping. He is currently being held without bond pending an arraignment before the Sessions Court Judge.
Sheriff Lawson complimented the work by all law enforcement officers by saying, “If you choose to commit a crime in Bradley County it is evident through this investigation we exhaust all of our resources in an effort to solve the case. I appreciate everyone who assisted with bringing a swift resolution to this matter."