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Suspect in Garfield Heights bank robbery dies in crash, officer and K-9 injured

Suspect killed in crash after bank robbery
Posted at 3:19 PM, Sep 14, 2017
and last updated 2017-09-15 09:16:11-04

An armed bank robbery and subsequent chase in Garfield Heights Thursday morning ended with a police officer and K-9 injured, one suspect dead, and three others hospitalized. 

The events started when Garfield Heights police responded to a robbery call around 9:14 a.m. for two armed suspects inside the U.S. Bank on Turney Road.

After taking an undisclosed amount of money, the suspects fled in a car but were intercepted by officers near Turney and Granger roads.  

Two police cruisers were struck by the suspect vehicle near East 135th Street and Granger Road. An officer and a K-9 unit were both transported to nearby hospitals, authorities said.

The suspects continued driving eastbound on Granger Road until they hit a car on Libby Road in Maple Heights.  Two of the suspects were taken into custody and then transported to MetroHealth Medical Center. 

A third suspect, later identified as Gabriele William Benter, 17, was transported to Marymount Hospital but later succumbed to his injuries.

Police said a fourth person from the other car that was struck was treated for non-life threatening injuries.

Authorities have not released the charges of the suspects.