A suspect thought to be a man wanted by the FBI for two bank robberies in Irvine, CA was killed after a shootout with SFPD near Buena Vista Park yesterday evening. The FBI, who had been tracking the suspect using the GPS in the BMW he stole in Orange County, alerted SFPD that the so-called "Gen X Bandit" (just look at that slacker look he's sporting) was thought to be in San Francisco. Local cops found the suspect in the vehicle near Buena Vista park around 5:40 p.m. yesterday, at which point he attempted to mow down the officers in the stolen Beamer.
Cops aiming to protect themselves, opened fire on the suspect before he could run them down and the thief was transported to SF General where he died from critical injuries. Authorities have yet to say whether or not the suspect was armed, how long he had been in San Francisco, or even if he has been positively ID'ed as the man the FBI has been looking for.
Still, let this be a lesson to anyone trying to lash out at the yuppie set: Don't steal their luxury vehicles because they're loaded with tracking devices. Stick to your regular Mid-90s Volvo wagons.
Update: Authorities have identified yesterday's BMW-driving suspect as 25-year-old Joshua Smith, but have yet to confirm whether Smith is, in fact, the bank robbing Gen-Xer. Although, if he was only 25, that technically makes him Gen-Y, right? Or whatever we decided came after Generation X? Generation Facebook or something?
[Chron]
[SFExaminer]
[BCN/Appeal]