Man threatened to hold child at knifepoint in attempted robbery

A Richmond man is accused of threatening to hold a 4-year-old boy at knifepoint during an attempted robbery at a motel, Richmond police said.

Patrick M. Randolph, 39, was charged Wednesday with first-degree robbery and first-degree wanton endangerment.

Shortly after 2 p.m. Wednesday, Richmond officers were dispatched to Quality Quarters on Killarney Lane on a robbery call.

The motel owner’s wife was entering the door to the front desk area with her 4-year-old grandson when a man entered the door behind her, brandished a knife and demanded money. The robber threatened to hold the child if the woman didn’t give him money.

An employee then arrived at the front desk and saw what was happening. He entered the front desk area, but the assailant pushed him and demanded money from him as well. The employee feared that he was going to be stabbed, and he fought with the man until he was able to get the knife out of the robber’s hands.

The robber then fled the motel, got into a vehicle and drove away. No money was surrendered, police said.

While on the way to the motel, officers received a description of the suspect and his vehicle. A Richmond narcotics detective saw the vehicle in downtown Richmond and followed it as he waited for other police to arrive.

The vehicle stopped at a pawn shop on East Main Street, where police arrested the suspect, identified as Randolph. He was being held in the Madison County jail.

The employee who fought with Randolph suffered a broken hand, but no other injuries were reported.

This story was originally published April 28, 2016 at 2:49 PM with the headline "Man threatened to hold child at knifepoint in attempted robbery."