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A North Texas man said a visit to a local bank Saturday turned into a nightmare when police handcuffed him and held him at gunpoint for nearly 30 minutes.
Derrill Ewans, of Little Elm, said he went to the Wells Fargo Bank on Lebanon Road with a friend who was getting a loan for a car.
"Me and two loan officers were talking," Ewans said. "We were in a very good conversation, laughing, talking [and] having a good time."
However, a bank teller who spotted Ewans told thought he was acting suspicious and called 911. Minutes later, authorities received another call claiming someone saw Ewans with a gun.
Outside the bank, Ewans' girlfriend and her three-year-old daughter were waiting for him when police surround her car, handcuff her and put her and the child in a squad car.
"They thought there was the possibility there was an armed robbery going on inside the bank," said Sgt. Gerald Meadors, Frisco Police Department.
Police called Ewans on his cell phone and asked him to come out with his hands up. Ewans followed the order.
Ewans was handcuffed and ordered to lay on the pavement as officers pointed weapons at him. Eventually, he was allowed to sit up.
"They kept asking me, 'Where are the weapons?" he said.
Ewans said police continued questioning him about a possible weapon and held him for about 30 minutes.
"We thought something extremely serious was happening in the bank," said Jordan Hashem, a witness. "...He had that look of, 'I can't believe this is happening to me.'"
Ewans said he was on pins and needles throughout the incident.
"I honestly believe had anyone sneezed wrong, one mistake, I could have been dead at this time," he said.
Police found no gun and minutes later Ewans was freed.
Frisco police said their officers handled the case professionally and would handle any similar cases in the future the same way.
"You don't just walk into the bank when you've been told there is possibly somebody with a weapon and go, 'Hey, what are you doing?'" Meadors said. "You set up a perimeter and find out what's going on.
Wells Fargo has refused to comment on the incident citing customer privacy regulations. However, Ewans said he wants some answers from the Frisco Police Department and Wells Fargo.
"After everything happened, nobody from the bank would say anything to me again," he said.
Ewans said police did apologize. He also said he plans on getting a lawyer in relation to the incident.
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Derrill Ewans, of Little Elm, said he went to the Wells Fargo Bank on Lebanon Road with a friend who was getting a loan for a car.
"Me and two loan officers were talking," Ewans said. "We were in a very good conversation, laughing, talking [and] having a good time."
However, a bank teller who spotted Ewans told thought he was acting suspicious and called 911. Minutes later, authorities received another call claiming someone saw Ewans with a gun.
Outside the bank, Ewans' girlfriend and her three-year-old daughter were waiting for him when police surround her car, handcuff her and put her and the child in a squad car.
"They thought there was the possibility there was an armed robbery going on inside the bank," said Sgt. Gerald Meadors, Frisco Police Department.
Police called Ewans on his cell phone and asked him to come out with his hands up. Ewans followed the order.
Ewans was handcuffed and ordered to lay on the pavement as officers pointed weapons at him. Eventually, he was allowed to sit up.
"They kept asking me, 'Where are the weapons?" he said.
Ewans said police continued questioning him about a possible weapon and held him for about 30 minutes.
"We thought something extremely serious was happening in the bank," said Jordan Hashem, a witness. "...He had that look of, 'I can't believe this is happening to me.'"
Ewans said he was on pins and needles throughout the incident.
"I honestly believe had anyone sneezed wrong, one mistake, I could have been dead at this time," he said.
Police found no gun and minutes later Ewans was freed.
Frisco police said their officers handled the case professionally and would handle any similar cases in the future the same way.
"You don't just walk into the bank when you've been told there is possibly somebody with a weapon and go, 'Hey, what are you doing?'" Meadors said. "You set up a perimeter and find out what's going on.
Wells Fargo has refused to comment on the incident citing customer privacy regulations. However, Ewans said he wants some answers from the Frisco Police Department and Wells Fargo.
"After everything happened, nobody from the bank would say anything to me again," he said.
Ewans said police did apologize. He also said he plans on getting a lawyer in relation to the incident.
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