Woman Who Stabbed Boy During San Leandro Bank Robbery Identified
SAN LEANDRO (CBS SF) – A enraged, knife-wielding female bank bandit stabbed a 12-year-old boy three times in the back before robbing a customer of a "few hundred dollars" at a San Leandro Wells Fargo bank branch Monday morning.
The incident happened inside a Wells Fargo branch on East 14th Street and Estudillo Avenue at about 11:30 a.m., police said. The female suspect came into the bank and immediately walked to the customer waiting area on the opposite side of the bank, where the 12-year-old boy was sitting.
San Leandro Police spokesman Lt. Robert McManus said the boy was stabbed with scissors by the suspect, identified as 32-year-old Oakland resident Iyona Hammond.
"At some point, she got very enraged and agitated and walked over to the boy, who was sitting in the chair peaceful, waiting for his family member. She stabbed him from behind," McManus said. "It was completely unprovoked."
Hammond then turned around and began to demand money from the bank and customers, robbing at least one customer.
McManus said the boy was in San Leandro on summer vacation and was at the bank with relatives. His relative had an appointment at the bank and the boy was sitting in a chair in the lobby. The woman approached him and stabbed him in the back near the base of the neck.
Police responded to 911 calls and discovered the child bleeding from the stab wounds.
"One wound was fairly deep," McManus said. "It will require surgery so it will heal...He (the boy) said it felt like he was struck in the back."
The boy was rushed to Children's Hospital Oakland, He remains in stable condition and will undergo surgery for his wounds, authorities said.
Hammond fled the bank and was captured by responding officers near the corner of East 14th Street and Estudillo Avenue as she was fleeing.
The suspect had bloodied hands and the scissors used to stab the young boy in her possession when she was taken into custody. Hammond was arrested on suspicion of robbery and attempted murder.
The crime left customers at the San Leandro Wells Fargo in shock.
"Oh my God! I can't believe that. In the store in the broad daylight," said bank customer Brenda Hartley.
The charge of attempt murder replaced the initial lesser charge of assault with a deadly weapon. Authorities changed the charge due to the severity and location of the boy's wounds, as well as the fact that the assault was unprovoked and she attacked the boy from behind.
He said the boy's parents were flying into the Bay Area to be with their injured son.
McManus said the woman may have been injured in the incident and had also been taken to a hospital.
