Cincinnati prosecutor: Key Bank told hero cop who stopped robbery not to come back

Lost in the media frenzy that naturally followed the attack on concert-goers in Las Vegas was news that an off-duty police officer was banned from a Cincinnati Key Bank branch after heroically engaged a pair of would-be bank robbers.

According to WCPO (CBS Cincinnati), the officer, Mount St. Joseph University Police Officer Carl Rauschenberger, was visiting the Key Bank on Springdale Road in Colerain Township at about 11:30 a.m. May 22 when he saw a pair of bank robbers enter the bank ahead of him, one waving a gun.

When the first robber, Malcolm Jones, opened the inner door to let his accomplice, Nelson Jones, in, Rauschenberger drew his gun and ordered Nelson Jones down, Deters said.

Surveillance video shows Malcolm Jones and Rauschenberger exchange shots as customers and bank employees take cover. A glass panel breaks, apparently hit by one of the bullets.

Rauschenberger "showed remarkable bravery," [Cincinnati prosecutor Joe] Deters said.

Deters has announced that Officer Rauschenberger has been cleared of any wrong-doing, adding that he "showed a remarkable sense of bravery in that whole video."

Perhaps that's why Deters chose to highlight how the officer was subsequently treated by Key Bank.

According to the WCPO report, Deters said Key Bank security later called Rauschenberger and told him his business was not wanted there anymore. The prosecutor was told the bank's policy is to give robbers what they want and worry about catching them later.

In separate reporting by the Cincinnati Enquirer, Deters is quoted as saying "This morning, I spoke with the police officer and he told me that Key Bank called him and told him that they no longer wanted his business because he had traumatized the bank customers and employees. If I were running Key Bank, I would have given this officer a medal and free checking."

"I mean, he put himself at risk for the safety of others and he should be commended for it," Deters told reporters. "Who knows what these armed suspects might have done and how many lives the police officer may have saved? He certainly shouldn't be asked not to be their customer anymore."

After the news report, a spokesperson for Key Bank, which is headquartered in Cleveland, denied Deters' claim.

"There appears to have been a misunderstanding, and we apologize for any confusion," [ey Bank spokeswoman Kimberly] Kowalski said in an email to The Enquirer. "To be clear, at no time did we ask this client to end his relationship with KeyBank and we will contact him to discuss his concerns."

Perhaps Key Bank might want to train their spokespersons not to lie when a prosecutor makes an accusation - they tend to be able to produce evidence to expose the truth...like the name of the head of Key Bank security who banned the officer:

Deters released a document containing Rauschenberger's statement about the incident later Wednesday, which said, "Tuesday evening (May 23) I received a call from Jerry Alford, head of Key Bank security. He informed me that the patrons and employees of the bank were very traumatized by the events of the holdup and exchange of gunfire and would I refrain from doing business at that bank."

Reached later Wednesday Kowalski said, "We have nothing further to add. We are reaching out to our client to discuss the matter further."

Chad D. Baus is the Buckeye Firearms Association Secretary and an NRA-certified firearms instructor. He is co-founder of BFA-PAC, and served as its Vice Chairman for 15 years. He is the editor of BuckeyeFirearms.org, which received the Outdoor Writers of Ohio 2013 Supporting Member Award for Best Website.