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Report: Deaths Following Stockton Bank Robbery Caused By Suspects

STOCKTON (CBS13) - Stockton police had a national team take a deeper look into last year's deadly bank robbery and hostage situation. The department revealed the results Monday in a report and press conference.

The Police Foundation of Washington, D.C. conducted the investigation.

Speaking about the report, Stockton Police Department Chief Eric Jones said police need to do a better job of planning for these types of situations.

"It acknowledges that we should better plan and train for the unthinkable, that there was incredible bravery and professionalism that day, and a lot of good work was done by police staff during an unprecedented event," said Jones. "It does, though, acknowledge there was too much gunfire by police at the conclusion of the event."

The report found the chaos was not created by police; rather it was caused by the actions by three armed assailants.

In July, 2014 the bank robbers took three hostages then led police on an hour-long, high-speed chase that ended with a shootout between the gunmen and police officers. During the shootout police fired more than 600 shots and their bullets killed two suspects and one hostage: Misty Holt-Singh, who was being used as a human shield by one of the suspects.

"The report makes clear that the suspects [were] responsible for these crimes; the suspects who took hostages, and who, several times chose to ambush officers rather than escape, apparently were capable of anything," said Jones. "Backing off this pursuit and giving the suspects time to take more hostages – perhaps from a school – was not an option."

Jaime Ramos, the surviving shootout suspect, was arrested at the scene. Pablo Rubalcava, the man suspected of dropping the suspects off at the bank, was arrested months later. Both men are being charged with three counts of murder. Prosecutors say they will seek the death penalty for Ramos and life in prison without parole for Rubalcava.

 

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