Police Search For Robbery Suspect on Diana Street

CHARLESTON - Charleston Police shut down Diana Street Wednesday afternoon for about two and a half hours after chasing an armed robbery suspect through a neighborhood.

The suspect was spotted by an officer responding to an armed robbery
at nearby Lyerly's Cleaners. The suspect disappeared behind a home at 1009 Diana St., and officers believed he was inside the residence
until a search of the home showed it to be empty at 7:45 p.m.

The man who robbed the cleaners was armed with a handgun, according to Charleston Police Public Information Officer Charles Francis.

Both the SWAT Team and Hostage Negotiation were involved, though no hostages were ever present.

"They're here to try to talk him out, to end this peacefully," Francis said.