Man connected to multiple armed robberies arrested after SWAT situation in Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh police arrested Michael Buchanan, 36, for multiple robberies across the area over the past month.

Buchanan is being charged in the Oct. 23 robbery of a First National Bank on East Carson Street and the Nov. 16 robbery of a Unimart convenience store on Brownsville Road.

>>PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Police searching for man who robbed South Side bank

Police said Buchanan was arrested Wednesday after robbing a Dollar Eagle store on Beechview Avenue and entering an apartment that wasn't his.

Wednesday's incident happened around noon in Pittsburgh's Beechview neighborhood.

Surveillance video shows a man, who police said is Buchanan, pulling a gun on the clerk and reaching over the counter for the cash register. The clerk then screamed for help and a customer who had just left ran back inside to try to stop the robber.

Buchanan fled the initial robbery, but police tracked him to a building in the 100 block of Brownsville Road in Mt. Oliver -- directly above a dentist's office across the street from a police station.

He entered an apartment building that was not his, police said, and that presented a possible hostage situation.

At that point, SWAT units were called to the area "for the safety of the neighborhood and safety of everyone," said Chris Tognieri, public information officer for Pittsburgh police.

Buchanan was taken into custody around 1 p.m., and police seized the car they believe was involved in the earlier robbery.

No one was injured and people who live in the apartments were safely evacuated.

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