TD Bank branch in SE Ocala robbed again. Police chase, shots fired, multiple arrests. – Yahoo News

(This story was updated to accurately reflect the most current information.)

For the second time in less than a week, the TD Bank branch at Southeast 25th Avenue and 17th Street has been robbed. This second time — the afternoon of May 8 — involved a police chase, an officer-involved shooting and multiple arrests.

The robbery call came in just before 1 p.m. May 8, according to Ocala police. An armed man verbally demanded money, was given an undisclosed amount of cash, and then left.

When leaving, police said, he briefly took a teller hostage at gunpoint. He released her before fleeing in a GMC pickup truck.

Officers responded and a vehicle pursuit ensued. The robber was in the pickup truck with two other people, a man and a woman, police said. The chase went east on Fort King Street, then south on Baseline road and west on Maricamp Road with speeds up to 90 mph, according to Ocala Police Deputy Chief Lou Biondi.

During the pursuit, the pickup truck made a sudden turn off Maricamp Road and onto a side street near the Southern Pig & Cattle Company restaurant east of 36th Avenue, police said.

The driver lost control and crashed into a retention pond near the 4400 block of Southeast Maricamp Road. No gunshots were fired during the pursuit.

After the crash, one of the pickup’s occupants — the man who robbed the bank — exited the vehicle and ran. Two Ocala Police officers chased the man, who they said was armed with a gun and pointed the firearm at them.

During that foot chase, the two officers fired gunshots — at least one each. The man was hit in the right wrist. He suffered what was described as non-life threatening injuries.

The man was taken to a local hospital for treatment. The two other people, a man and woman, remained inside the vehicle during the foot chase. They were taken into custody.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement will investigate the officer-involved shooting. No officers were injured. OPD will investigate the bank robbery.

Police say the trio face multiple charges including bank robbery, kidnapping and aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer.

Jimmie Sparrow, a local lawyer from the law firm of Sparrow and Fairchild, said he is representing the two officers involved in the shooting. OPD did not release their names, but did say that they are now on paid administrative leave, as is common in shooting cases.

“They are doing as well as can be expected under the circumstances,” Sparrow said of his clients. He declined further comment. He said the officers soon will be interviewed by FDLE.

The first robbery at this bank branch happened the morning of May 3. Ocala police arrested a woman in connection with that case.

The last Ocala police shooting was in September 2024 when two officers opened fire on Linda Parker Vaughn in the 5100 block of East State Road 40 after a vehicle pursuit. Vaughn was not injured.

Officers had pursued Vaughn when they saw her driving recklessly along Northeast 14th Street and ran a red light. When officers finally caught up to Vaughn in a parking lot, she tried to run over them.

Vaughn was taken to a local hospital for treatment of minor injuries. She faces numerous charges including aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and felony fleeing or attempted to elude police.

Vaughn’s court case is ongoing.

(This story was updated to add a photo)

(This story was updated to meet our standards)

This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Bank in SE Ocala, Florida robbed second time in less than a week.

Source: news.yahoo.com