WINTER PARK, Fla. -- A passerby, who saw a masked man dash out of a bank in Winter Park, tried to take matters into his own hands by chasing after the robber. That is, until he heard what sounded like a gunshot fired in his direction.

The Washington Mutual Branch is located on New York Avenue near Fairbanks Avenue. When the masked man entered the Winter Park bank on Wednesday, surveillance cameras showed his intentions were crystal clear.

"The suspect entered the bank and yelled, and said, 'This is a robbery! Give me all your money!' He created some havoc and some fear," explained Lt. Wayne Farrell.

It was first bank robbery at the location in more than 20 years. Only one customer was in the branch at the time.

However, a man who works in the area saw the robber run out of the branch and did something police don't recommend people do. He followed and tried to catch the thief, but then thought twice about it when he heard what sounded like a gunshot.

"We have not found evidence of a gunshot, but we have several witnesses in the area that did say they heard a gunshot," Farrell said.

As a precaution, police put the nearest school in lockdown mode until it became clear the bank robber was long gone.

Police said K-9s lost the suspect's scent at a parking lot on Fairbanks Avenue and suspect the robber got in a car and drove off. Detectives said the bank robber was a heavy-set black man, who was wearing blue jeans with a notable red stripe on them.