Long Beach Officer Kills Robbery Suspect

A man suspected of robbing the customer of a bank automated teller machine was shot and killed by a Long Beach police officer who apparently believed he was armed and aiming at him, officials said Saturday. No gun was found with the body.

A second suspect, 24-year-old Keith Hughes of Compton, was arrested. The robbery occurred Friday night at a Bank of America building near the corner of Willow Street and Daisy Avenue.

The identity of the dead man had not been released by late Saturday. He was pronounced dead at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center shortly after the 8 p.m. incident.

The incident began when officers discovered two suspects beating a victim who apparently had just made a withdrawal from the teller machine.

When ordered to surrender, the suspects fled in different directions, police said. Officer Jim Hill, a 13-year veteran, said he observed one of the suspects turn toward him with an object in his right hand. The officer said he fired at him, but the suspect continued to run.

About two blocks away, Officer Ralph Robbins, an eight-year veteran, caught up with the suspect, who he said was crouched behind a car.

“He was still holding the object in his right hand,” Long Beach Police Lt. Philip King said. “Thinking that the suspect had a weapon and was preparing to fire at him, Officer Robbins fired at the suspect.”

He was hit by about four shots, authorities said.

Investigators said no gun was found on or near his body.

As is the procedure in all officer-involved shootings, the district attorney’s special investigations division was called in to determine whether the officers were justified in using lethal force.

The robbery victim, who was not identified, was treated at the scene for his injuries and released.

Hughes was booked for investigation of murder as well as robbery. Police alleged that by fleeing, Hughes provoked the use of deadly force against the second suspect.