Please note that the links to the video contain actual footage of the bank robbery while it is in progress, and the police officer’s reaction, but not the actual shooting.
The man identified as Raymone Davis, 21 of Pittsburgh, entered the bank holding a handgun and announced, “Freeze—get on the ground, give me all your money. This is a robbery,” Zappala said at Friday’s news conference.
What Davis apparently did not know was officer Lisa Luncinski was guarding the bank, which had been the victim of several robberies in October and November.
According to Zappala, the entire incident took place over 40 seconds, from the time Davis entered the bank until Officer Luncinski shot him once in the lower back.
Davis died on the way to the hospital.
The distance between Davis and the officer at the time of the shooting was 18 feet.
Zappala provided the following description of the robbery and the shooting of Davis:
-10:23:13 Davis enters the first set of doors;
– 10:23:19 Davis enters the second set of doors;
– 10:23:21 Davis pulls a handgun loaded with one bullet in the chamber, but no magazine, announces a robbery is taking place and for everyone to get on the ground.
Officer Luncinski who was standing by a poster near the bank’s vault seeks cover behind a poster, and then moves behind a nearby counter at the same time she draws her weapon, identifies herself as a Pittsburgh police officer saying “Police, drop your weapon.”
Davis, according to witnesses and the video, responds by raising up on his toes and taking a shooting stance, pointing his gun at the officer, who was behind a counter. At this point Davis starts to turn in the direction of the doors and is struck in the lower back by a single bullet.
Both Zappala and McLay said that Officer Luncinski was in the process of firing her handgun as Davis turned.
“Why did you make me do this,” Zappala said Officer Luncinski asked Davis, as she provided first aid and CPR to Davis.
Describing the officer’s actions throughout the entire incident as “textbook,” Pittsburgh police chief Cameron McLay added, “I’m very, very proud of Officer Luncinski.”
McLay said that Officer Luncinski had to expose herself to Davis in order to take a shot and stop him.
Zappala said “In our community, we don’t look well when somebody gets shot in the back, whether it’s use of force by a police officer or otherwise. But here you have video, and the video explains all the circumstances.” He added, “I’m comfortable with the thoroughness of the investigation.”
This was the first time the officer has ever used her weapon on-duty according to Zappala.
Police surmise that Davis was involved in the other robberies of the bank, however, Zappala stressed he was not a suspect in them.
One of Davis’ accomplices, Ricky Simmons, 35 of Pittsburgh, who has been charged in connection with the October 15 robbery of the same bank, told police, Davis said he “had the bank under control,” and robbed the bank using a pistol loaded with only one bullet, according to a court document,
Simmons said that he was paid “1000” for the robbery.
Davis was on probation for simple assault and drug dealing convictions at the time of the robbery. He previously was convicted of drug possession, retail theft and defiant trespass, court records show.
