The robbery happened at the KNBT Bank at 235 Main Street in Emmaus around 9:30 a.m.
Three armed robbers went into the bank and pistol-whipped the bank's assistant manager. However, police were on the scene almost immediately.
The suspects fled and police gave chase down Main Street, catching up with them about two blocks away.
That's when the robbers fired shots at police on the scene. The police say the fleeing suspects fired at least five shots from their car as they sped off down Main Street.
"They jumped out the moving vehicle…and the vehicle kept going, hit the little tree by [a] house, and then the officers just pursued," Patty, a witness, said.
One of the suspects was run down by a police car. He was taken to a hospital, but released soon after. A second was also arrested at the scene.
The third was caught at 6:35 p.m. near the intersection of Hanover Avenue and Maxwell Street in Allentown.
The first two suspects caught are identified as Edward Anthony May, 32, of Allentown and Isaah J. Sampson, 22, of Allentown. The third suspect is identified as Hishaumu T. Curry, 35, of Philadelphia.
Police said the men are facing charges of robbery, aggravated assault, and attempted criminal homicide for allegedly shooting at a police officer.
All three are former felons and were not to be in possession of a weapon however two weapons were recovered at the scene in Emmaus.
None of the officers were injured in this incident. The bank manager who was pistol-whipped received only minor injuries.
The gunfire and police activity have rattled this normally quiet town outside Allentown.
"I heard 5 shots…that's enough to scare you when you're sitting in your living room with your wife and 7-month-old son," resident William Adams said
The FBI is investigating the bank robbery portion of this case, while Emmaus Police and the district attorney are handling the robbery and shootout.
