Executive Summary
- Officers responded to an armed robbery at Express Market on West Northpark Boulevard.
- The suspect allegedly fired a revolver at a clerk before retrieving a rifle from a vehicle.
- Police fatally shot the suspect after he aimed the rifle at responding units.
- No injuries were reported among the officers or the store clerk.
San Bernardino Police officers shot and killed an armed robbery suspect on Friday evening after the individual reportedly fired at a store clerk and aimed a rifle at responding law enforcement. The incident occurred outside a convenience store following a violent confrontation inside the business.
According to the San Bernardino Police Department (SBPD), dispatchers received reports of an armed robbery in progress at approximately 6:09 p.m. at the Express Market, located at 304 West Northpark Boulevard. Investigators stated that a male suspect, who has not yet been publicly identified, entered the establishment and demanded money from the register while pointing a loaded revolver at the clerk’s head.
Police reports indicate that a struggle ensued when the clerk attempted to disarm the intruder. During the altercation, the suspect fired the weapon in the direction of the employee. The bullet missed the clerk, who was subsequently able to disarm the man. Authorities reported that the suspect then exited the store, retrieved a loaded rifle from his vehicle, and attempted to return to the business entrance.
Upon arrival at the scene, officers encountered the armed individual in the parking lot. SBPD officials confirmed that the suspect aimed the rifle at the responding units. In response to the immediate threat, officers discharged their weapons, striking the man. He was transported to a local hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries. Both the store clerk and the police officers were uninjured during the incident.
Use of Force Investigation
This fatal confrontation initiates a standard investigation into the use of lethal force by the San Bernardino Police Department. Protocols for such incidents typically involve a comprehensive forensic analysis of the scene, including the recovery of the revolver and rifle, as well as a review of any available surveillance or body-worn camera footage to corroborate the sequence of events. While the immediate threat has been neutralized, investigators will focus on verifying witness accounts and tracing the history of the firearms involved. It is important to note that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, and the investigation remains active.
