Man shoots stranger dead after his bank card is declined in Starbucks
Suspect threatened to kill customers in Las Vegas branch of drinks chain then opened fire on victim after telling cops there was a bomb in the shop
A MAN who had his bank card declined in Starbucks shot dead a stranger while they sipped coffee after threatening to kill customers.
The gunman opened fire in a Las Vegas branch and killing the regular who often got his drinks from the shop.
The suspect, who was said to be a Hispanic man, went to the drive thru at around 11.30am on Sunday.
Aged in his thirties, he first asked for water. but then parked his car nearby outside a Bank of America.
He then returned to the shop and started shooting at customers.
The suspect called police about the shooting, gave fake descriptions of himself and told cops there was a bomb in the coffee shop.
Bomb disposal experts were initially called as because of the false information it was thought to be a hostage situation.
They found a backpack in the doorway of the Starbucks branch but it was deemed safe.
The gunman was evacuated with the rest of the customers, but was later discovered and taken into custody.
According to Police Lieutenant Dan McGrath, the suspect had a violent history and shouldn't have had a handgun.
Bryan Dunlap, who was at the scene, told : "We were less than five minutes away from walking into this situation.
"We watched one of the employees jump out of the drive-thru window and run across and police waved her over to get her to their side."
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The victim who was in his 40's, was bleeding heavily when cops arrived and rushed to hospital, where he later died from his injuries.
Customers who were in nearby businesses, were forced to either evacuate or hide for more than an hour as the area was shot down as a crime scene.
Amber Plourde, who was having a manicure nearby at the time said she saw someone covered in blood after the victim was taken to a nearby hospital.
She told: "There was a man, young man, who must've helped the victim, sitting on a curb with blood on him, and he was obviously in shock and that really upset me and hit home."