Victims in bank robbery released from faulty vault

Just before 9 p.m. today, victims trapped in the First Community Bank vault after the access panel was damaged in a shootout between police and three robbers, were finally released.

The three robbers, Darrin Hume, 44, Fred Lapidus, 37 and Ben Winslet 34 entered the bank around 2 p.m. and quickly moved patrons to the vault, which was at the back end of the bank.

Once there, the robbers forced Bank Manager, Chuck Pace to open the vault and ordered all the patrons inside. Five patrons were in the vault when Pace struggled at the door with the robbers, and was shot. A bank employee was also shot, after reacting to Pace's shooting.

Police were quickly on the scene and by the time SWAT arrived the two were dead. The police and SWAT entered the bank after being shot at by the robbers.

In the firefight bank employee Bob Carlyle was shot by police who believed he was another robber.

"As police officers we strive to conduct our jobs with the utmost respect to community safety," said Police Chief Nora Young. "While it appears as though Mr. Carlyle's death was the result of a tragic accident that occurred in the midst of our officers' efforts to stop three robbers...it is important that we complete the vital and transparent process of determining what could have prevented this terrible circumstance."

One of the victims trapped in the vault was Community High School Bulldog's star quarterback, Sharaf Jarrah, and the big game was cancelled in light of the situation.

"Today has been an incredibly trying day and I want nothing more than to put it behind me," Jarrah said. "I'll be ready to play football again next weekend."