This is a horrible story, I can't comment on it now.
NORFOLK, Neb. (AP) - A town still trying to cope with a deadly bank holdup got more sad news when a state trooper used his service revolver to kill himself, apparently guilt-ridden that he failed to catch one of the alleged robbers a week before.
Nebraska State Patrol trooper Mark Zach had stopped one of the robbery suspects for a traffic violation, but failed to detect that the gun the man was carrying was allegedly stolen.
Although the gun was confiscated by authorities, Zach apparently felt responsible for not getting the suspect behind bars on a more serious stolen weapons charge
"Trooper Zach could not accept that," said Col. Tom Nesbitt, Nebraska State Patrol superintendent. "He took his responsibility very, very seriously."
The suicide came hours after police laid out their case against the four suspects in Thursday's robbery at the U.S. Bank branch in Norfolk in which five people were murdered.
The three alleged gunmen were caught Thursday in a stolen pickup after stopping at a gas station 75 miles away. A fourth suspect was later arrested. All are from the area.
The holdup men walked in with guns blazing, and within 40 seconds all five victims had been shot in the head, Capt. Steve Hecker testified in dramatic detail at a bond hearing for the suspects.
Hecker said one suspect was asked why they opened fire at the bank, and the man would say only, "It went to hell in the bank." All four men were denied bail.
Hecker said the suspects planned to steal the vehicle of one of the victims. Instead, police say, the three gunmen ran away and stole a car at gunpoint from an elderly couple after breaking into their home. The fourth suspect, the alleged scout, apparently had fled.
About 50 people
NORFOLK, Neb. (AP) - A town still trying to cope with a deadly bank holdup got more sad news when a state trooper used his service revolver to kill himself, apparently guilt-ridden that he failed to catch one of the alleged robbers a week before.
Nebraska State Patrol trooper Mark Zach had stopped one of the robbery suspects for a traffic violation, but failed to detect that the gun the man was carrying was allegedly stolen.
Although the gun was confiscated by authorities, Zach apparently felt responsible for not getting the suspect behind bars on a more serious stolen weapons charge
"Trooper Zach could not accept that," said Col. Tom Nesbitt, Nebraska State Patrol superintendent. "He took his responsibility very, very seriously."
The suicide came hours after police laid out their case against the four suspects in Thursday's robbery at the U.S. Bank branch in Norfolk in which five people were murdered.
The three alleged gunmen were caught Thursday in a stolen pickup after stopping at a gas station 75 miles away. A fourth suspect was later arrested. All are from the area.
The holdup men walked in with guns blazing, and within 40 seconds all five victims had been shot in the head, Capt. Steve Hecker testified in dramatic detail at a bond hearing for the suspects.
Hecker said one suspect was asked why they opened fire at the bank, and the man would say only, "It went to hell in the bank." All four men were denied bail.
Hecker said the suspects planned to steal the vehicle of one of the victims. Instead, police say, the three gunmen ran away and stole a car at gunpoint from an elderly couple after breaking into their home. The fourth suspect, the alleged scout, apparently had fled.
About 50 people
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