DANIA BEACH, Fla. – Broward Sheriff's Office deputies shoot a man who claimed to have a bomb during a robbery at a Chase Bank.
BSO received a call about 11:51 a.m. Friday that a 49-year-old man was attempting to rob the bank at 300 E. Dania Beach Boulevard. The man announced he had an explosive device, deputies said.
The bank was evacuated and deputies were waiting outside as he left the bank.
"There were cops all around him and they were yelling at each other -- back and forth," said John Gurage.
Initially, deputies said the man complied with their commands, but later stopped complying and several deputies fired their weapons.
"They were still giving verbal commands. He didn't follow any of them, and he reached out -- he had a plastic clear bag -- and after that, there was a rally of about 30 shots and he dropped," said Hymie Lazega.
"It sounded like somebody lit up a pack of firecrackers -- but louder," added Gurage.
"People screamed and hit the ground and I just started running," said Dotty Donahue. "I said well, it's Friday the 13th, if I get shot today."
After shooting him, the bomb squad dismantled the device attached to the robbery suspect.
"While he was on the ground, he opened his shirt, he allowed us to x-ray the device," said Broward Sheriff Scott Israel. "At that particular point, our bomb squad sergeant made a decision that it was safe for our bomb squad to go in to cut the device from the subject."
The robbery suspect was transported to Broward Health Medical Center, where he underwent surgery. His condition wasn't immediately released.
Investigators aren't yet sure if the device strapped to the man was a bomb.
No other injuries were reported.