Bank Robbery Suspect Critical After Officer Involved Shooting In Luxe Hotel Lobby
BEVERLY HILLS (CBSLA.com) — An officer involved shooting occurred in the lobby of the Luxe Hotel in Beverly Hills on Monday afternoon.
The shooting occurred when an officer reportedly located a possible suspect of a robbery that had taken place at a Bank of America earlier Monday.
At least one suspect was reported down after the shooting, and police say that a second suspect was arrested outside the bank.
The money that was stolen from the Bank of America was reportedly tracked by GPS.
"We received that information through the GPS ping of the money that he was provided after he committed the robbery," Beverly Hills Police Sgt. Max Subin said. "Our officers got down to the area (and started) to look for a suspect, based on the witness description."
A witness also played a part in the suspect's identification.
"I could tell something was up with this guy, so anyway, I just walked by him," witness Ruben Lee said. "There were three cops, and through one of the radios I heard (a description) of the guy. He said 'he has a lot of facial hair and he's wearing all black'. It clicked in my head; that's the guy.
"So I pointed. I pointed in the hotel. I said 'he's right there'. In twenty seconds, I hear a gun go off."
The shooting occurred at the Luxe Hotel at 360 N. Rodeo Dr. Beverly Hills Police officers and Beverly Hills Fire personnel were working on the victim on the scene, who was then transferred to a hospital.
"Our officers entered the Luxe Hotel, right here at 360 North Rodeo," Sgt. Subin said. "Our officers observed the suspect inside the lobby, and at that point an officer-involved shooting did occur."
No officers were injured in the shooting.
The Bank of America, where the robbery had taken place, is located just a block and a half away from the Luxe Hotel.
"It was so scary," a bank witness said. "All of a sudden the cashier said that he's been robbed."
Rodeo Dr. was shut down in the vicinity of the hotel, and remained closed as of 10:30 p.m.
The condition of the wounded suspect is said to be critical, and he was in surgery as of 8 p.m.
A third individual was detained and questioned by police, but was later released.
Police say the suspect told tellers at the bank that he had a weapon, but it was not clear whether or not he produced it at the hotel.