A California woman taken hostage in a July bank robbery was killed by police during a bloody shootout with the suspects, police told USA Today on Monday.
Misty Holt-Singh was one of three women taken hostage at a Bank of the West branch in Stockton and forced into a stolen car when suspects fled the scene with an undisclosed amount of cash.
Several police vehicles chased the stolen car for about an hour, firing shots towards the car as the suspects returned fire with a semiautomatic rifle, the newspaper reported.
Holt-Singh was struck by 10 bullets that came from police arms, according to a preliminary ballistics report obtained by USA Today. Twenty officers were placed on administrative leave as police investigated the victim's death.
One of the suspects, 19-year-old Jaime Ramos, allegedly used the 41-year-old mother as a human shield, Stockton Police Chief Eric Jones said.
Jones stood by the officers' actions, saying they had no choice but to shoot back. He also said the July 16 robbery had unusual circumstances.
"It is very rare for bank robbers to take hostages," Jones said according to the newspaper. "It is very rare for them to so heavily arm themselves and prepare to kill and then to actively and continually to try to kill our police officers."
Wearing hoodies and sunglasses, Ramos and two other armed suspects walked into the Stockton bank and tied up the security guard. They robbed the volt and took two bank employees and customer Holt-Singh as they left. Holt-Singh's 12-year-old daughter was waiting in the car outside the bank.
Two of the hostages were able to escape during the high-speed chase. The two other suspects- 27-year-old Alex Gregory Martinez and 30-year-old Gilbert Renteria Jr., were killed.
"The manner in which Misty's life was taken raises serious questions and concerns," the victim's family said according to USA Today. "The family is hopeful, however, that the promised information, policies and procedures concerning the events of July 16 will be provided so that a fair, complete, and transparent investigation can take place."
Ramos, who escaped the shootout unscathed, was charged with murder and kidnapping.
