Eufaula Residents In Shock About Deadly Bank Robbery, Shootout

Information still is coming in about Thursday’s Eufaula bank robbery that ended in a shootout with the suspect. Troopers called Thursday's scene chaotic as it all unfolded in just a matter of minutes.

Cedric Norris was killed in a shootout with law enforcement after a car chase. We're told Julie Huff, the Bank of Eufaula customer taken hostage by Norris, had surgery on Friday morning and she is alert. Becky Howell, an employee shot at the bank, also is in the hospital and is expected to survive.

Randy Peterson, the bank president, was killed by Norris before he fled with his hostage.

Peterson’s funeral will be held at the North Fork Baptist Church in Eufaula on Tuesday at 11 a.m.

Randy Peterson's obituary

The bank's drive thru was open for part of the day, but otherwise the bank was closed on Friday.

A memorial of flowers and balloons sits outside the door, as folks in Eufaula try to comprehend one of the town's darkest days.

About 3,000 people call Eufaula home.

"I grew up here and my classmates and I call it Mayberry," flower shop owner Martha McCracken said.

It's the type of town where everybody really does know everybody -- where friends are more like family -- where one tragedy touches the entire town.

“You just got a sick feeling in your stomach,” McCracken said.

News of the bank robbery and shooting traveled fast.

Martha McCracken knew all the victims, including Peterson.

1/22/2016 Related Story: Eufaula Bank Robber: Long Criminal History, Stole SUV By Beating Texas Clerk

The FBI says Norris shot and killed Peterson first, then shot Peterson’s assistant, Becky Howell, when she refused to leave with him.    

That's when he took customer Huff hostage. Sources say Norris forced Julie to drive his getaway car.

Within minutes, a police chase began -- and just a few minutes after that it was over - 8 miles north of the bank.

You still can see skid marks and orange evidence markers where the chase ended near an RV park.

Officers initially believed there were two suspects, they didn't know Norris had taken a hostage.

Sources say Norris got out of the SUV and immediately started shooting at officers, and the officers fired back.

We're told Huff got out the car and screamed she was a hostage.

In all, 50 rounds were shot. Huff was hit multiple times.

“It'll be a long healing process,” McCracken said.

Everybody in Eufaula seems to be in a daze.

And while it feels for them the world has stopped, life must go on.

Martha McMccraken's flower shop is open, but her work today is being done with a heavy heart.

“You never know, you never know what the next moment is going to bring, and it sure gives you a wake-up call for that,” she said.

1/21/2016 Related Story: Eufaula Community Joins Together To Remember Lost 'Family Member'


1/21/2016 Related Story: 2 Dead, 2 Injured After Eufaula Bank Robbery, Shootout With Troopers