Willie Edward McGee Jr. was federally charged after an alleged Dec. 26 bank robbery in Zebulon, N.C., during which he claimed to have C-4 explosives and fled with $3,234. Authorities say he was later found in a Hobby Lobby parking lot, fired at officers with a Ruger AR-style rifle, and was struck by returned gunfire; no officers or civilians were hurt. Officers recovered the rifle and a handgun, and McGee faces federal counts including discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. The DOJ labeled the act "domestic terror," and the FBI is seeking tips at (704) 672-6100.
Repeat-Offender Truck Driver Charged Federally After Alleged Bank Robbery, Claiming C-4 And Shooting At Officers
Law enforcement officers from multiple agencies responded to an armed bank robbery investigation that led to the arrest of Willie Edward McGee Jr. in Rocky Mount, North Carolina.
Willie Edward McGee Jr. has been federally charged after an alleged Dec. 26 bank robbery in Zebulon, North Carolina, during which authorities say he claimed to possess C-4 explosives and later exchanged gunfire with law enforcement.
Federal Charges And Allegations
According to a federal complaint, McGee faces counts of bank robbery and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Officials say he entered a First Citizens Bank, demanded money while asserting he had C-4 explosives, and left with $3,234.
No officers or members of the public were injured as law enforcement safely took the suspect into custody after a coordinated response in Rocky Mount.
Police Confrontation And Arrest
Law enforcement located McGee’s semi-truck in a Hobby Lobby parking lot. Surveillance footage and officers at the scene allegedly show McGee exiting the vehicle armed with a Ruger AR-style 5.56 rifle and firing at officers. Police returned fire and struck McGee; authorities reported no law enforcement officers or civilians were injured.
Officers say they recovered the AR-style rifle used in the shooting and a handgun taken from McGee’s waistband while taking him into custody. He was transported for medical treatment and is now in federal custody.
Federal and local law enforcement recovered guns and evidence following the arrest of a suspect charged with armed bank robbery and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
Background And Response
Local reporting by WRAL indicates McGee has an extensive criminal history, with dozens of charges over more than 20 years spanning Duplin, Wake and Durham counties. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche called the incident "domestic terror," saying the defendant did not merely rob a bank but threatened civilians with explosives and opened fire on police.
"As alleged, this defendant didn’t just rob a bank — he threatened innocent civilians with explosives and then opened fire on police officers. That is not desperation, it is domestic terror," Blanche said. "Thanks to the extraordinary courage and professionalism of our law enforcement partners, he is alive, in custody, and facing decades in federal prison."
The investigation remains active. Anyone with information is asked to contact the FBI at (704) 672-6100. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina has been contacted for comment.
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