The investigation into Wednesday's bank robbery, high-speed police pursuit and hostage crisis is revealing new details about the suspects and hostages.
Bank customer Misty Holt-Singh was shot and killed Wednesday afternoon when the suspects got into a gunbattle with law enforcement at the end of a hour-long police chase. She was found dead in the stolen getaway SUV when it came to a stop at Thornton Road and Otto Drive. Police said she was used as a human shield by the lone surviving suspect identified as 19-year-old Jaime Ramos, an associate of the Norteno gang.
The 41-year-old mother was one of the three women taken hostage at the bank by three armed gunmen.
The other two hostages were shot and expected to survive. Those women were either pushed out of the SUV or jumped out during the police pursuit.
Holt-Singh's Facebook page is filled with condolences along with pictures of her husband and her children. Her 12-year-old daughter Mia stayed in the car Wednesday when Holt-Singh planned to just pop into the bank for a minute.
A community candlelight vigil will be held for Holt-Singh and the other hostages at 8 p.m. Saturday at the downtown Waterfront Hotel in Stockton. A memorial fund has been established by her sister at Bank of Stockton under the name "Dawn Holt Memorial Fund for Misty Singh,"account number 1210054712.
Driver Jason Voyer took a photo of the Bank of the West at Hammer Lane and Thornton Road as he slowly drove pass. In the photo, one of the suspects is visible in the doorway.
"So this guy was peering out the door, kind of looking at his buddies," Voyer said. "It almost looks like they didn't know what they were doing."
Voyer said he saw all three robbers in front of the bank - one in the doorway, another who just got on the ground and the third one walking toward a blue SUV with one hand on a weapon and another hand on a hostage's shoulder.
He thought the police had a handle on the situation. But, it took a high-speed chase and dozens of officers to bring things to a halt. In the end, two suspects and one hostage were killed.
As many as 20 officers involved were placed on administrative leave per standard police protocol.
Ramos is scheduled to appear in court Monday, July 21, at 1:30 p.m.
