Robber loses tip of nose in fight

TUSCUMBIA - Police are searching for a suspect who had the tip of his nose bitten off Monday during a robbery at a residence.

Tuscumbia police say a man robbed two other men at their house in the 900 block of John Street just after 11:30 a.m. The robber, however, had to struggle to get away after the victims wrestled with him before he ran from the home.

"We're looking for a man who is running around town with the tip of his nose gone," Tuscumbia detective Sgt. Jeremy Williams said.

Reports indicate the two men, who were at the residence behind Deshler High School, were in the living room. One man was asleep, the other sitting inside, when the robber opened the door and walked in.

"They said they had seen him around, but didn't know him," Williams said.

He said reports indicate the robber walked through the living room past the two victims and into a back room, where he grabbed one of the men's coats and started walking out.

"The victim who was awake confronted the man," Williams said.

He said the robber had an open knife in his back pocket and held a small screwdriver in his hand as a weapon.

"The two men started fighting, and the victim got the robber down and tried to hold him down," Williams said. "While they're fighting the victim who was asleep wakes up, sees what's going and gets involved."

Authorities said the second victim grabbed a knife and put it to the crotch of the suspect, who was on the floor.

"Then the victim who first started fighting with the robber, for whatever reason, bites the tip of (the robber's) nose off," Williams said. "It was still laying there inside the residence when we got there."

Williams said the robber fought free when one of the men went to a bedroom to get a shotgun.

"Apparently, (the robber) heard one of the victims get the gun and he fought his way free and ran out the door," Williams said.

He said the robber last was seen running north toward Helen Keller Hospital in Sheffield. He is described as a black man, 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighing 170-180 pounds.

"We don't know if he had a car parked somewhere nearby or was on foot," Williams said. "But we've checked all the local medical facilities to see if someone came in with the tip of their nose missing."

Williams said the robber was able to get away with about $100 cash.

He was wearing a dark shirt, dark jeans and dark tennis shoes, according to the victims. "Plus, they said he was in the 30s and had short hair," Williams said.

Anyone with information about the suspect is asked to call the Tuscumbia Police Department at 383-3121 or Shoals Area CrimeStoppers at 386-8685.

Tom Smith can be reached at 740-5757 or tom.smith@TimesDaily.com.