POMPANO BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - A investigation has been launched after deputies said they were forced to fire after a pursuit, killing a bank robbery suspect.
Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies were initially following a vehicle connected to a robbery at a TD Bank branch, located at 3875 N. Federal Highway, Monday morning.
“The suspect fled just recklessly just in and out of traffic all throughout the Pompano area,” said Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony.
When police attempted to stop the driver on East Atlantic Boulevard, the vehicle crashed into a Florida Power & Light pole.
Deputies then established a perimeter in the area of East Atlantic Boulevard and Northeast Fourth Avenue in an attempt to subdue the driver.
Shortly after, the sheriff said, it appeared the man lit his own car on fire and got out of it with a firearm.
“And at some point got out of the vehicle, presented a firearm towards our deputies, about four of them, fired and put the suspect down,” said Tony.
Cellphone footage captured by a witness showed shots being fired at deputies.
“Heard a crash and I went to the window, and then I saw the cops yelling at him, ‘Get out of the car,'” said Dino Standjofski, a witness.
After the shooting the man fell back into the burning car and the sheriff said his deputies tried to save the man’s life.
“He fell back into the car, which was burning, and our deputies went in there, extracted him out of the car while it was on fire and tried to perform life saving techniques to get him to survive,” said Tony.
“We knew it was something serious you know, it wasn’t just a normal robbery. To have all these cops wandering up and down this road like this, it was pretty wild,” said a witness.
FBI agents are investigating the incident in order to determine if the suspect was also involved in recent bank robberies in Dania Beach.
The suspect has been identified only as a middle-aged white male.
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