Dec 2, 2008 12:08 am US/Eastern
Guard Killed In Dadeland Mall Armored Car Robbery
$20,000 reward being offered by Dunbar, who owned the armored truck
Mall Remains Open; Officials Insist Stores Are Safe
KENDALL, Florida (CBS4) ―
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An employee of Dunbar Armored Cars died hours after being shot at Dadeland Mall in Kendall, Florida on Monday December 1, 2008.
CBS
Miami-Dade police are searching for two gunmen who shot and killed an armored truck guard at Dadeland Mall Monday morning. There is now a $20 thousand reward for information leading to an arrest.
According to Miami-Dade police spokesman Det. Alvaro Zabaleta, two gunmen remain on the loose after shooting a Dunbar armored truck guard around 11:15 a.m. inside the Express clothing store at Dadeland Mall located on North Kendall Drive between US 1 and the 826 Palmetto Expressway.
Our news partners at the Miami Herald spoke with the guard's family. They have learned the victim is 51-year-old Carlos Alvarado of Hialeah.
Police say the guard was either picking up or delivering money at the clothing store when he was ambushed by the gunmen, who shot him several times. Investigators told
CBS4 Reporter Gary Nelson the robbers probably cased the place in advance, and knew when the armored car would make its pick-up.
The gunmen then ran into and through Dadeland Mall to make their escape. Witnesses say they saw the men running through the mall carrying a bag of cash.
Witnesses said they heard the situation and either hid or fled from the area. "I heard about 10 gunshots and a bunch of screaming and so we hid behind the counter and I told the salesperson to lock the door and call 911," said Jennie Block.
"I heard and I saw people running, screaming saying code, and I don't remember what the code was. Somebody said someone is shooting. I heard about ten to 12 gunshots and I just ran," said Maria Nicholas.
Shopper Monica Mirones described her experience, "I was standing near the food court, and I looked and saw some chaos and there were about five police officers running with their guns drawn."
Police say the men made their getaway in a white Lincoln Continental.
Shopper Nadav Shapiro said, "There was running and panic. There were guns, lots of police with guns."
The guard was airlifted to the Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital in critical condition. He died several hours later. The Associated Press is reporting a second person was injured and treated by paramedics.
Dunbar is offering a $20 thousand reward for information that leads to an arrest in the shooting.
The robbery and murder was pulled off even as the mall was being covered by a squad of "Grinchbusters," anti-holiday crime police deployed by the Miami-Dade Police Department. As for how the crime could be committed and the bad guys make a clean getaway, police spokesman Alvaro Zabaleta said, "It's a matter of being in the right place at the right time." He said the robbery/murder came down and the culprits made their getaway so fast that they were gone even before police who were on the property could respond.
The crime and subsequent escape was most certainly captured by security cameras inside the mall and other stores. Police have not released the security video.
The mall is part of the Simon Property Group, which issued this statement about the robbery and shooting:
"We are shocked and saddened by this tragic crime and are cooperating fully with the Miami-Dade Police Department and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue on this investigation. Our hearts and prayers go out to the victim, his family and friends. We have no further information at this time. The mall is presently open for business with the exception of the area near The Limited Express Super Store."
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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