An alert customer noticed when 25-year-old Mark Katchem slipped a note to a Wells Fargo bank teller, demanding money. After Katchem left the store the customer—a military veteran—quickly went to his vehicle, grabbed his pistol, and put the young criminal nose-first on the ground.

Police say the customer ordered Katchem to the ground and held him there at gunpoint until police arrived. Nick Daley was driving by and took a photo of what was happening.

Daley says “I immediately knew by the way the man was standing, his stance, he was in control of the situation.”

When police arrived, they arrested Katchem and charged him with robbery by intimidation. Charise Debarros lives near the bank. She applauds the bank customer for taking charge of the situation.

“It’s wonderful that someone is willing to take action and show the bad people out there, you can’t do this and we’re going to stand up for what’s ours” says Debarros.

Fox 5 in Atlanta hinted at the end of their report that they’d have more about the veteran and how he so thoroughly took control of the situation. While it’s just a guess, I suspect that this would-be robber isn’t close to being the most intimidating foe the veteran has ever faced.