Lancaster: Robbery suspect is killed

A black man was shot in the 43500 block of Gadsen Avenue in Lancaster about 10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 9.

Two men — both black — approached a Brinks armored truck guard and pepper-sprayed her in the face, said Lt. Erik Ruble of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Lancaster station.

Ruble said the guard was about to pick up money from a business and was carrying an empty money bag, which she dropped when she was sprayed. He said the two men fled on foot after one of them grabbed the money bag. Ruble said the guard was able to fire two shots just as the men were running, but did not know whether she struck anyone.

After the robbery, witnesses told deputies that one of the men got into an awaiting vehicle with two women. A citizen wrote down the vehicle's license plate and gave the information to authorities. The vehicle was found at a house a mile away from the robbery, Ruble said. The man and two women were taken into custody.

Meanwhile, the man who had grabbed the money bag was driven to Providence Holy Cross Hospital, where he was pronounced dead about 8 p.m. Ruble said the driver of the car was taken into custody.

The Homicide Report was unable to reach a representative from Brinks Inc. for comment.

Anyone with further information about the incident is asked to call detectives with the Sheriff's Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500.

Comments

[KJ]

I seriously question the wisdome of the guard, she could have shot and killed a by-stander.
As it is she killed a man fleeing with an empty money bag.
Well done, all those days plinking away at targets payed off,
The DA should file charges against this guard,
Idiot with a gun probably doesn't carry much jail time.

[Maryjane]

FIrst of all I want to say ...yes they messed up. REalllly bad. However Dont talk about the situation if you dont know the details....scum bags far from it. THey were good people who made a bad decision. Some of us make decisions that will effect the rest of thier lives. But we pray for them instead of running down more. I am not going to judge them instead be there for them. We gotcha...C>A all day. R.I.P "Smoke" forever be missed..9/4/08

[CL]

The security guard had every right to defend herself. Her life was probably threatened and she responded to the threat. Kudos to her for powering through the pepper spray and dealing with the threat at hand.

Don't believe everything you read. Unless you were there, heard the conversation, and were the one being attacked, you don't know.

[Too bad for the scum bag]

boo hoo, for the poor scum bag out there pepper spaying hardworking guards, and robbing Brinks trucks. I say, he got what he deserved... no telling what other devilment he has gotten away with in her low life... Good riddens!

[coakl]

Good shooting!!! I would find it hard to shoot straight with pepper spray in my eyes. If you attack an armed guard, you'll get what you deserve. A quick trip to your maker. One less vicious animal roaming the streets.

[Courtney Kincaid]

Not that I'm sad about a robber being killed, but is it ok for an armored car guard to shoot at people who are running away? I wasn't there, so I hate to Monday Morning Quarterback her decision, but if they pepper sprayed her, grabbed the bag and ran away, where was the threat? Too bad an idiot had to die over an empty money bag.

[county citizen]

It's about time that the good guys chalk up a victory. It's nice to read that the scum bag got what he deserved.