Suspect drove away in a black SUV.

[view:node_ad=5]Lt. Dave Coleman, from the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau has confirmed that a Hispanic male was killed Friday morning after an attempted robbery in the middle of morning traffic on Lyons Avenue in Santa Clarita.

Lt. Coleman said that two men in a white pickup truck were stopped at a red light on Lyons Avenue and Apple Street at about 8:30 a.m. when a black SUV pulled up behind them. A man then exited the car and reportedly said, in Spanish “Give me your money, I know you have money.”

After that, there was a struggle for the gun, which resulted in one round being fired. That round injured the passenger of the pickup truck and the suspect got back in the black SUV and drove away.

One witness to the shooting, who happened to be a doctor, ran to the
victim's aid, however he was transported to the hospital where he was
pronounced dead.

The investigation shut down Lyons Avenue between Valley Street and
Peachland Avenue.  Sheriff’s Homicide detectives have concluded  processing
the crime scene and have re-opened Lyons Avenue.

While the robbery occurred on the street directly in front of a Washington Mutual bank, investigators say that they have no information that indicates the bank, or any ATMs were a part of the robbery.

Shortly after the incident, Newhall School District Superintendent Dr. Marc Winger issued the following statement regarding schools located in the area of the shooting:

"The Sheriff's at the station and at the scene advised and assured us that the suspects have left the area, but as a precaution we kept students in from recess at Newhall, Peachland, Old Orchard, Wiley Canyon Schools.  The plan now is that we will let them out with heightened supervision at lunch time.  Members of upper management were at all sites and found them to be safe and secure.

It is a minimum day for upper graders so each principal sent a Connect Ed to parents assuring them that kids were safe, we held them in at recess only as a precaution, that they've talked to upper grade walkers about safe walking home, and invited parents to pick up kids if they would like to do so."
-End statement

Lt. Coleman told reporters that he was also in charge of the investigation into last week's murder of Anthony Lombardi, who was shot several times in the driverway of his Valencia home. Like today's incident, that crime was also classified as a robbery/murder, but Lt. Coleman says that he does not feel that the crimes are related.

Sheriff’s Homicide Lt. Dave Coleman