Reportedly Aimed Gun at Irvine Officers : Elderly Bank Robbery Suspect Shot by Police

An elderly bank robbery suspect was shot and critically wounded by Irvine police officers Friday afternoon when the man was attempting to get away and pointed a gun at one of the officers who had surrounded the building, Irvine police said.

The suspect, who was not identified by police, entered the Crocker National Bank at 19000 MacArthur Blvd. in Irvine at 3:30 p.m., asked to see the manager and was directed to Don Finer, assistant vice president, according to police.

The suspect, in his 60s, told Finer he had a gun and intended to rob the bank, police said. Another employee was summoned to get the money, and Finer kept the suspect occupied while the bank staff notified authorities, according to police.

Uniformed officers and investigators surrounded the building, while telephone contact with the bank was maintained, according to a press release by Sgt. Robert Kredel.

About 4:30 p.m., the robber left the building, ordering Finer to accompany him toward the adjacent parking structure, Kredel’s report said. Police then identified themselves and ordered the suspect to stop, Kredel said. Finer ran back toward the bank, and the suspect pulled out a .45-caliber blue steel semi-automatic pistol, pointing it directly at an officer, Kredel said.

Three officers immediately fired their service pistols and the suspect dropped to the pavement, according to the police report. It appeared that the suspect was wounded in both legs and the left arm, and after being treated at the scene he was taken by helicopter to Western Medical Center in Santa Ana, the report said. Police said he was in critical condition.

It was not immediately determined how many shots were fired or how many times the suspect was hit, according to the report. It also was not clear whether the suspect was given any money from the bank.

Finer was not injured, police said. An investigation by police, the FBI and the Orange County district attorney is continuing, police said.