Police in the Inland Empire fatally shot a suspected bank robber who witnesses say tried to hide in plain sight at a fast food restaurant Thursday afternoon.
The robbery occurred at around 1:28 p.m. at a crowded shopping plaza in Fontana, according to police. Police received multiple 911 calls about a man with a gun inside the Bank of America located on 11510 Summit Ave. in Fontana.
Witnesses told police they saw the man run into a Wendy’s restaurant. Police set up a perimeter around the restaurant when the man tried to exit through the back of the building.
When officers confronted him, he was inside a commercial trash enclosure.
"The suspect refused multiple commands and ran out of the enclosure while holding a black gun with both arms extended in a shooting position pointed directly at officers," police said in a statement.
Officers opened fire and the man was declared dead at the scene. The gun recovered at the scene was found to be a replica firearm, police said.
No other injuries were reported.
