On March 26, 2024, at approximately 5:09 PM, Fullerton Police Officers responded to the Wells Fargo Bank, located at 141 W. Bastanchury Road, regarding a bank robbery in progress. A male wearing a mask entered the bank and demanded money from the teller. He told the teller that he had a bomb, and he produced a white box which appeared to contain an explosive device. The suspect threatened to detonate the device. At the time, the bank was open and there were employees and a customer inside the business. Officers arrived within two minutes and were able to make contact with employees inside the business via telephone. At one point, the suspect exited the business holding a white box containing stolen money and the suspicious device. When he exited the bank, an officer involved shooting occurred.
In an effort to be transparent with the community that we serve, the Fullerton Police Department is releasing its seventh Critical Incident Community Briefing, which will provide details to the community about the incident, as we know them today. This includes Body Worn Camera (BWC) video footage from the incident itself, still photos, and police radio traffic.
Please keep in mind this is an initial review, and our understanding of this incident could possibly change as additional evidence is collected, analyzed, and reviewed. The Fullerton Police Department also does not draw any conclusions as to whether or not our officers acted within our department policy, and the law, until all the facts are known, and the independent investigation by the Department of Justice is complete.
With the July 1, 2019 implementation of California Assembly Bill 748, California police agencies are required to release any relevant video or audio pertaining to the critical incident within 45 days. The California State Legislature allows for this 45-day release timeframe because there is an understanding that critical incidents are often complex, sensitive investigations, and it takes time to complete them in a thorough manner.
As a reminder, while body worn cameras are an excellent investigative tool, they do not always show what the officers may have seen, and vice versa, the officers don’t always see and experience what the body camera footage shows. We ask that the community keep this in mind when viewing these videos.
Fullerton Police Chief Jon Radus met with Mr. Thomson’s family yesterday and provided them with an opportunity to view this Critical Incident Community Briefing prior to its release.
Please be advised, the images and content of this Critical Incident Community Briefing are graphic, and viewer discretion is advised.
The Critical Incident Community Briefing, which is roughly 15-minutes in length, can be found by clicking the link below:
https://youtu.be/M4staUoCXzo
