An attempted bank robbery escalated into a tense hostage scenario in Orange County, with police swarming to the scene and detaining one suspect, Anaheim authorities confirmed.
The botched heist took place around 4:40 p.m. at the BMO Bank located on the 4500 block of East La Palma Avenue, reported KTLA. Details on how the robbery unraveled were scarce, but it is known that the suspect took at least one person hostage, and barricaded themselves in a room within the bank. The number of people present at the time of the robbery and whether the suspect was armed,, are currently unknown.
Responding to the critical situation were officers from the Anaheim Police Department (APD), who according to an Anaheim PD Instagram post, were assisted by on-duty personnel from APD's Tactical Response Group. This team, which includes SWAT officers and tactical negotiators, managed to resolve the situation by rescuing the hostage and taking the suspect into custody.
Authorities confirmed that the victim, whose identity remains undisclosed, did not sustain any injuries during the entanglement. In addition, as per KABC's report, no further suspects are being sought in connection with this incident. The officers continued to maintain a presence at the crime scene overnight as their investigation progressed, searching for clues as to the motive and the sequence of events that lead to the standoff.
No information has yet been released concerning the identity, age, or gender of the suspect in custody. Updates are expected as the APD carries forward with the ongoing investigation.
