ATM Murder & Robbery: 2 Separate Crimes Logged Sunday In O.C.

ORANGE COUNTY, CA – A man was shot dead and a woman was assaulted and robbed in two separate incidents Sunday at the same ATM in Garden Grove, police said.

The killer of the 35-year-old man, who was shot to death during a robbery outside a Bank of America branch ATM at 13952 Brookhurst St. with about a dozen witnesses nearby, remained at large today, police said.

Officers found the victim on the ground when they responded to a call of shots fired at 10:11 p.m.

"It looks like the suspects' vehicle was driving around in the parking lot waiting for a potential victim," said Garden Grove police Lt. Carl Whitney.

The victim, whose name was being withheld pending notification of his family, approached an ATM on the west side of the bank while the suspects confronted him from the south side, Whitney said. During the confrontation, one of the suspects pulled out a gun and during a struggle the weapon went off, Whitney said.

"We know the victim made a withdrawal because he had cash on him," the lieutenant said. But it was unclear if the robbers fled with any of the victim's cash, he said.

Police interviewed 13 witnesses who were nearby, some using other ATMs, at the time of the robbery, Whitney said.

In that case, police are looking for a silver SUV with a roof rack that the robbers used to make their getaway, he said. Witnesses offered varying accounts on descriptions of the suspects, so investigators are going through surveillance video to get a better handle on what they look like, Whitney said.

Another robbery occurred at the ATM about two hours earlier, but it was unrelated and police made an arrest in that case, Whitney said. According to the Orange County Register, both crimes were at the same bank.

Garden Grove police arrested a 46-year-old transient who allegedly robbed and assaulted a 50-year-old woman on her way to use an ATM at the bank at 13900 Brookhurst St., authorities said today.

The robbery took place about 8:15 p.m. Sunday as the woman was walking to the ATM with her money in her hand, said Garden Grove police Sgt. Brian Dalton. Officers responded to a report of a man with a gun and located the victim, who told them she had been robbed at gunpoint and assaulted, as well, Dalton said.

Officers spotted the suspect trying to flee and apprehended him a short distance from the bank, Dalton said. The victim identified the suspect as the man who robbed her, and her money was recovered, Dalton said.

Phat Duong, who is well known to police as a local "panhandler,'' was booked on suspicion of robbery and assault with a deadly weapon, Whitney said.

The victim was taken to an area hospital to be treated for bumps and bruises, Whitney said.

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--City News Service contributed to this report/Image via Shutterstock