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Deputies Investigating Bank Robbery, Shooting

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By LISA A. DAVIS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 7, 2007

Updated: 09/07/2007 05:59 pm

PORT RICHEY - Investigators said they believe a middle-aged man robbed a bank on U.S. 19 on Friday afternoon before he shot himself to death in the parking lot of a nearby department store.

The man, who had a sawed-off shotgun, entered the Colonial Bank, 9431 U.S. 19, about 3:10 p.m., the Pasco County Sheriff's Office said. He handed the teller a note and left the bank with an undisclosed amount of money.

According to the sheriff's office:

Witnesses at the bank said the man dropped some of the money and his note as he got onto a bicycle. The man then fled on his bike to the Dillard's parking lot at Gulf View Square mall, where another group of people tried to stop him.

The man might have fired a shot into the air before shooting himself in the head, the sheriff's office stated. His identity was not available Friday afternoon. No one else was injured during the incident.

People at the scene gathered money dropped by the man and gave it to deputies responding to the call.

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