School resource officer stops armed robbery suspect

School Resource Officer Willie Chirillo is being hailed as a hero in Daytona Beach for her brave actions on Tuesday.

What started out as a normal school day at Turie T. Small Elementary School quickly turned ominous when she got word from other officers of an armed robbery suspect who was running away from them and towards the campus.

Officer Chirillo immediately put the school on lockdown and, soon afterward, spotted the suspect, described as a man armed with a gun and running on foot down South Street on the opposite side of the road from the school.

Officer Chirillo gave chase and, working with the pursuing officers, disarmed the suspect and brought him into custody safely.

The suspect is now facing a felony robbery charge for robbing two people of cash at gunpoint earlier that day.

The lockdown was lifted shortly afterward. No one was hurt. The suspect never got onto the campus.