Woman robbed in downtown Gadsden, suspect surrenders at county jail

Four people are being credited with helping a Virginia woman during a strong-arm robbery on Broad Street early Friday afternoon.

The woman, who grew up in Gadsden, was in town to vacation and to visit family. She'd walked a couple of blocks west of her brother's shop, Hobbies and Collectibles,on Broad, and was on her way back when a man grabbed her purse and tried to run.

She held onto her purse, screaming for help, and the man dragged her a few feet, she said, before the purse strap broke and he took off.

However, two young men stopped to help and took off after him, she said. Then two more men tackled him and were holding him down. Witnesses said the man apparently faked a seizure and the men let go, and he took off again.

During the struggle, his wallet got dropped, containing all his identification.

Gadsden police were on the scene quickly, and the woman learned that her assailant had turned himself in at the Etowah County Detention Center.

Etowah County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Natalie Barton said she had been informed that a man had turned himself in, saying he'd been involved in a robbery.

The woman suffered some scrapes, but said she was otherwise unharmed. She said the man had been behind her for about a block and a half before he grabbed her purse.