Chase McKeown and Officer Nicole McKeown
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Armed robbery foiled by police officer lovers enjoying a romantic restaurant date!

Not the most romantic of scenarios

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Two newlywed police officers thwarted an armed man as he tried to rob their favourite fried chicken restaurant – while they were on a date!

Detective Chase McKeown and Officer Nicole McKeown were off duty and enjoying a quiet night out when a masked man with a gun came up to the cafe counter and demanded cash.

Armed robbery
The robber was carrying a gun (Credit: Elizabethtown Police Department)

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CCTV footage captured the incredible moment Chase and Nicole – who work for the police department in Elizabethtown, near Louisville in the US state of Kentucky – decided to take action.

At around 10pm, watching from the booth where they were sitting, the couple carefully took out their own firearms and rushed towards the robber with their weapons raised.

He immediately turned and fled from the restaurant – with Chase and Nicole hot on his heels.

Armed robbery
Chase and Nicole decided to act (Credit: Elizabethtown Police Department)

As reported by NPR, Nicole said on Tuesday (February 18 2020) at a news conference: “I saw [the cashier’s] hands go up like this and I’m like, ‘Is he doing what I think he’s doing?’ And [Chase’s] like,’Yeah’.”

Chase explained: “There was literally no question. We just looked at each other, ‘Is this what’s going on? Let’s go’. We just did what we felt like we had to do.”

We just did what we felt like we had to do.

As they circled the tables and quickly approached the would-be robber, they ordered him to drop his gun and he did – before running off down the street.

The man was later identified as 30-year-old Justin Carter.

The McKeowns, who tied the knot around six months ago, explained that they were at the restaurant because it was where they ate dinner the night of their wedding.

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The police department where they work issued a statement in which it said the force “couldn’t be more proud” of the couple.

It follows news of an elderly British man who was praised for bravely fighting off a mugger at an ATM.

Pensioner Trevor was attacked by a masked man at a cash machine outside a Sainsbury’s in Cardiff when he threw up his hands and fought the would-be robber with his fists.

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Nancy Brown
Associate Editor