Update: 2 arrests made in April robbery in Frankfort that led to 1 suspect’s death

Two men were arrested on suspicion of robbery at a Frankfort bar that led to a shootout and third robber dying from gunshot wounds, police said.

Alvin Hodge, 23, of Chicago, and Rathe Caldwell, 25, of Riverdale, were both arrested this week on a charge of committing aggravated armed robbery on April 30 at Ryan’s Pub, 7928 W. Lincoln Highway, Frankfort, according to the Will County Sheriff’s Office.

The bar is about 15 miles east of Joliet.

Hodge and Triston Morrison, 20, of Calumet City, were the two suspects who entered the bar for the robbery and Caldwell served as the getaway driver, according to Will County Sheriff’s Deputy Chief Dan Jungles.

The weapons used by the suspects turned out to be replica firearms similar to Airsoft guns, police said.

At 3:15 a.m. on April 30, deputies were sent to Ryan’s Pub for an armed robbery in progress, police said.

Deputies learned Hodge and Morrison – wearing gloves, masks and hoods – entered the business armed with handguns and demanded money from the patrons and employees, police said.

Hodge and Morrison threatened to shoot them all if they did not comply with their demands, police said.

“The victims pleaded for their lives as the suspects brandished firearms, threatening to kill them,” police said.

A bar patron who was armed with a gun had shot at Hodge and Morrison, the latter of whom was killed at the bar, Jungles said. The patron had a concealed carry license from Indiana, he said.

Hodge suffered a single gunshot wound to the back, while Morrison was shot in the head and back, police said.

Police said the suspects were able to successfully complete the armed robbery.

However, most of the cash they stole was stuffed inside of Morrison’s underwear and pants, according to Jungles.

Hodge managed to flee the scene in Caldwell’s vehicle and he ended up at a Chicago hospital on the same day of the robbery, Jungles said.

Hospital staff reached out to Chicago police because they were treating a gunshot victim, Jungles said. Hodge gave officers false information about his gunshot wound, he said. Hodge was later discharged from the hospital.

Sheriff’s detectives spoke with Hodge on May 26, he said.

Hodge was in prison for a 2017 armed robbery conviction in Cook County. He was paroled May 3, 2021.

Jungles said Morrison was wearing an ankle monitoring bracelet from Cook County at the time of the incident. He did not have further information about the arrest.