CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- A wanted man with a flashy tattoo and a flashy nickname remains on the run, armed and dangerous.

Taj Pittman, called the "Scorpion" by FBI agents, is wanted in connection with several bank robberies.

Pittman, who has a scorpion tattoo on the left side of his neck, managed to elude police during an eight-hour manhunt on Wednesday.

Now, residents are asking why he was released from jail in the first place.

Charlotte's 10-member Violent Criminal Apprehension Team arrested Pittman in November. He was placed in Cabarrus County Jail, charged with robbing a bank in Kannapolis.

On Tuesday at 5:30 p.m., Pittman walked out of jail after posting $110,000 bond.

Pittman has a scorpion tattoo on the left side of his neck. (Larger image)

On Wednesday morning, Cabarrus County Jail officials say the FBI walked in with more warrants against Pittman for several violent bank robberies in the Charlotte area. 

When the FBI found out that Pittman wasn't in jail, agents went to his girlfriend's apartment complex, McAlpine Ridge, in east Charlotte and confronted Pittman.

Sources told NewsChannel 36 that Pittman tried to run over an FBI agent, who then fired several shots at him, but Pittman got away.

The Cabarrus County Jail says they never heard from the FBI until too late, calling it a near miss.

NewsChannel 36 asked the FBI what happened and why they didn't serve the additional warrants sooner.

"That's part of the ongoing investigation," FBI spokesperson Amy Thoreson said.

Meanwhile, FBI agents were back at McAlpine Apartments on Thursday. Residents there said seeing the chaos on Wednesday frightened them.

"Made me feel a little bit unsafe. I wanted to pack my things and leave," said Carrina Richmond. "To find out they didn't catch him was a little disturbing. I'm a bit nervous but hopefully he'll be detained and we'll feel a little bit safer in our community." 

Resident Matthan Nodine said he is helping his neighbors cope.  

"I was in the Army. I work private security now," he said. "All of them are calling me up, knocking on my door, trying to get me to walk them to the garbage can." 

The FBI said they need the public's help finding Pittman. Anyone who sees him should call 911 or Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600.

(NewsChannel 36 reporter Mario Roldan contributed to this report.)