At approximately 5:54 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 7, Effingham City Police were notified of an armed robbery in progress at Walgreen’s, 1200 W. Fayette Avenue, Effingham.
With the assistance of eyewitnesses and citizens, responding officers immediately located the suspect, later identified as Hadley R. Majors, 36, of Effingham, in Walgreen’s parking lot.
After a brief foot pursuit, Majors entered his vehicle and fled the scene at a high rate of speed. Officers located Majors’ vehicle minutes later, which had crashed at the intersection of U.S. Highway 40 and Outer Belt West. Majors again fled on foot over the railroad tracks in front of a moving train and ran into the woods. Shortly after, he surrendered to officers and was taken into custody without further incident.
Majors was allegedly armed with a knife during the robbery, which was recovered after his arrest.
Majors was taken to HSHS St. Anthony’s Hospital by officers as a precaution after refusing treatment by Rural Med EMS at the scene; he was cleared medically and subsequently booked into Effingham County Jail on the following charges:
• Armed Robbery, Class X Felony (Conviction carries a sentence of 6-30 years in prison)
• Aggravated Battery with Deadly Weapon other than Firearm, Class 3 Felony
• Possession of a Controlled Substance, Class 4 Felony
• Fleeing or Attempting to Elude a Peace Officer, Class A Misdemeanor
Majors is being held at Effingham County Jail with no bond and will tentatively have his first court appearance on Friday, Aug. 9, to determine if he meets the criteria for further detention under the Pre-Trial Fairness Act.
Effingham County Sheriff’s Office assisted Effingham Police during this response. No injuries were reported during the incident. The investigation is ongoing and no further information will be released at this time.
Effingham Police Chief Jason McFarland noted the swift action of all officers and deputies involved.
“This incident ended within minutes, with no injuries to any victims, bystanders or officers, thanks in part to the rapid response of city officers and county deputies who immediately remediated the situation by taking the suspect safely into custody. We train together for these situations, and as a result, this incident was managed both professionally and promptly,” he said.
McFarland praised witnesses for their actions.
“Our response was greatly enhanced because of individuals who were willing to observe and relay information immediately to responding officers. This ‘eyes-on, hands-off’ approach these witnesses took is a prime example of our citizens working hand-in-hand with law enforcement to keep our community safe.”