Great Falls Area News

Suspect identified in Great Falls armed robbery, police chase

Posted: Mar 1, 2013 7:10 PM by MTN News

Thomas Scott Anderson, 29 years old, has been identified as the man arrested following a police chase in Great Falls on Friday morning.

Anderson is a suspect in at least one armed robbery and a stolen vehicle report.

The first reported robbery occurred on Thursday at the Cartwheel Casino & Liquor Store at 1900 10th Avenue South at about 12:30 a.m. In that case, police say a man entered the bar with a handgun. He was given an undisclosed amount of cash and then ran away.

Another armed robbery was reported at the Palace Casino at 626 10th Avenue South sometime after 10 p.m. on Thursday.

A police chase ensued and the suspect's vehicle was later found wrecked; the suspect fled and stole another vehicle and that vehicle was also wrecked a short time later.

A third armed robbery was reported on Friday at about 8:15 a.m. at the Fat Tuesday's casino in the 800 block of 10th Avenue South.

Great Falls schools implemented "shelter in place" procedures for a brief time as police were chasing the suspect.

The police - with the assistance of a helicopter from the Department of Homeland Security - chased the suspect's vehicle, and some shots were fired, although at this point we don't know if they were from the suspect or the police.

The suspect then reportedly crashed into a cement guardrail and ended up coming to a stop in a field at Chowen Springs Park in the Parkdale neighborhood, where he was arrested.

There are no reports that anyone was injured in any of these incidents.

Late Friday morning, we received reports from several people that gunshots had been heard at or near the apartments at 23th Street South and 16th Avenue South; when one of our reporters went there at about 11:30 a.m., there were several police cars and yellow crime-scene tape. An officer at the scene said that it was related to the reported robberies and chase earlier this morning.