MADISON, WI — A would-be robber was shot and killed after entering a bank and posturing as if he had a weapon to bank employees, the Wisconsin State Journal reports.
What’s more, this bank, which is reportedly located in a residential area, is no stranger to crime. It has been the site of no less than four robberies since January 2017, two of which were committed by definitely armed robbers, and two of which were less certain, but robbers postured as though they were armed.
The bank branch’s security guard took action against the man and dropped him with a single gunshot.
As the Wisconsin State Journal reports:
The suspected robber entered the Chase Bank at 4513 Milwaukee St. at about 4:50 p.m. with his face covered and postured as if he had a weapon, Koval said. He said the man then handed a bag to an employee and demanded money.
The armed security guard saw the man posture as if he had a gun and shot him, Koval said. Police were still interviewing witnesses to determine the actions of the suspected robber, he said. Paramedics were unable to resuscitate the man, and he died of a single gunshot wound, Koval said.
None of the seven other people in the bank at the time were injured. Koval said the man killed is believed to be Latino and in his 20s. Police had not confirmed whether the man was armed or just posturing, Koval said.
“At this point we have not actually established what if anything he may have because we’re dealing with this whole scene from a forensically pure area,” Koval said at a news conference about an hour after the shooting. “Before we move him or do anything like that, we’re going to make sure we get all our forensic needs covered first.”
You have to be careful what “posturing as armed” really means, because that’s one hell of a vague term.
It can, however, absolutely be used when one is presenting a deadly threat that one does not have — and considering this bank branch’s history with armed robberies, it’s hard not to sympathize with the security guard’s willingness to react to an apparent threat.
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