Surviving Stockton Bank Robbery And Chase Suspect Identified As 19-Year-Old Man
STOCKTON (CBS13) – Police have identified the surviving suspect from Wednesday's bank robbery and chase that left three dead as 19-year-old Jaime Ramos.
Ramos, a Stockton resident, has been booked at San Joaquin County Jail on homicide, attempted murder, kidnapping and robbery charges.
Three people – two of the suspects and a hostage they took – were killed in the Wednesday afternoon incident. Police say that Ramos and the other suspects, only identified by police as 30 and 27 year old men, took a total of three women hostage after robbing a Stockton Bank of the West near Hammer Lane and Pacific Avenue.
In a press conference Thursday morning, Stockton Police Chief Eric Jones said that the suspects were carrying massive amounts of ammunition -- including magazines strapped to their bodies.
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Jones noted that all the time throughout the 1-hour chase that followed the bank robbery, pursuing officers were taking fire from the suspects -- including in a few instances were it looks like the suspects lied in wait for the officers in a surprise attack.
"The officers were presented with an extremely intense and difficult situation, as this was a busy residential area with possibilities of bystanders being shot or also taken hostage," Jones said.
While 14 police vehicles were struck by gunfire, no officers were hit during the chase, Jones said. Numerous homes and civilian vehicles were also hit by gunfire.
"It is frankly amazing that none of our police officers were hit," Jones said. "We're talking inches in some cases."
Crime scene investigators were still out at the Otto Drive and Thornton Road scene – where the chase ended in a hail of bullets – Thursday morning. Friends and family identified the hostage found dead at the final scene as Misty Holt-Singh.
"In my over two decades of law enforcement I have never seen or experienced this type of total disregard for human life, nor the intensity of the situation that our officers were faced with," Jones said.
Jones said that preliminary information indicates that Ramos used the hostage as a human shield. Ramos was not hit by gunfire, Jones said.
Police say that three handguns and an assault rifle have been recovered from the scene.
Investigators say that two suspects killed in the incident were Stockton residents and documented Norteno gang members. Ramos is said to be a known associate of gang members.
More than 20 officers are on paid administrative leave following the incident -- the most ever for the department at one time.
The following is a gallery of photos released by the Stockton Police Department: