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News

Branch Manager Held Hostage at Orange County Bank

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Photo by Arthur Eugene Preston via Shutterstock

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A manager was taken hostage at a bank in Orange County this morning.

An armed suspect walked into Saehan Bank in Buena Park around 11 am today and ordered everyone to leave except a manager, according to City News Service. Authorities are treating it as a hostage situation, but two hours later they say the man hasn't made any demands yet.

"It was call of a possible robbery in progress. While en route there was some type of disturbance inside and when officers arrived on the scene and were evacuating nearby businesses, he ordered everyone out of the bank other than the bank manager," Buena Park police Cpl. Andy Luong told City New Service. "We do know he is still inside with the bank manager, but we don't know if that's a male or a female."

Authorities told the Los Angeles Times that the suspect might not intend to rob the bank at all—he could be involved in a personal or workplace conflict.

UPDATED 3:25pm: The suspect in the standoff has been shot and taken into custody after a police SWAT team stormed the building, according to City News Service. The female bank manager was freed and she was not injured.

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