3 Are Wounded, 1 Robber Killed in Bank Holdup

Two police officers and at least one customer were wounded and a robber was killed in a gun battle during an attempted holdup at a Bank of America branch downtown Friday evening.

The robber was shot in the head, police spokesman Sherman Ackerson said. Both officers were being treated for leg wounds, and the 26-year-old customer was in critical condition with a gunshot wound to the head and eye, said Jerry Forquell, nursing supervisor at San Francisco General Hospital.

The attempted robbery by two men occurred about 5:15 p.m. at New Montgomery and Market streets, in the heart of the financial district.

The men came into the bank and ordered everyone onto the floor. The customer was shot trying to subdue one of the suspects, Ackerson said.

“This is your classic takeover-style robbery,” he said.

Witness Michael Howatt said a gunman was at the teller’s window when the customer leaped on him and they fell to the floor, struggling. Two shots were fired, and the robber got up and went back to the teller’s window.

An employee managed to hit the alarm, and one of the suspects shot at two officers about a block away from the bank, Ackerson said.

Bike messenger Jason Hopson said he saw the suspect briskly walking down busy Market Street, taking off his mask. When the suspect turned onto 2nd Street, “there was an eruption of gunfire.”

“It was chaos,” he said. “Dozens of people were running.”

Another bystander said he heard at least 30 shots. “I could see the flames coming out of their gun barrels,” he said. “It was literally like the Fourth of July.”

Police were searching Friday night for the surviving suspect. Dozens of officers were on the scene.