Guard shot in bank robbery still critical

The security guard who was shot twice in the head by a bank robber remained in critical condition Wednesday, but prospects for his recovery were good, authorities said.

Meanwhile, Wells Fargo & Co. and Loomis Armored are offering a $50,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest of the gunman, who has thus far eluded investigators.

Police said that just before noon Tuesday, a man dressed in black and armed with a black handgun tried to get some cash from a teller inside the Wells Fargo bank at Eastern and Tropicana avenues.

The teller ducked behind a bandit barrier -- a thick, bullet-resistant clear plastic wall that extends from the counter to the ceiling -- and was shielded from the gunman, police said.

At that moment, the Loomis guard walked in.

The robber grabbed the guard and shot him twice, police said. He then ran west across Eastern, disappearing among the neighboring businesses and homes.

Police described the gunman as a light-skinned black man, about 5 feet 9 inches tall, 30 to 35 years old, wearing a black jacket, a black long-sleeved shirt and a black flat cap. He also might have been wearing a cell phone earpiece and might be bald.

Wells Fargo and Loomis officials were adamant about wanting to see the gunman behind bars.

"Wells Fargo will not tolerate anyone victimizing our team members and customers," said Kirk V. Clausen, regional president for Wells Fargo in Nevada. "We want him off the streets and behind bars as soon as possible, and we urge anyone with information to call immediately."

Mark Clark, Loomis senior vice president, said the outlook for the security guard's recovery was encouraging.

"Along with Wells Fargo, we are anxious to provide whatever support we can to help law enforcement personnel bring the cowardly assailant to justice," Clark said.

Business at the Wells Fargo seemed back to normal Wednesday afternoon as people went about their banking. Several suit-wearing security guards were called in to work at the bank after the shooting.

Outside Loomis, workers said they had a meeting about the shooting and safety procedures were emphasized.

Anyone with information about the case can call Crime Stoppers at 385-5555, police at 828-3591 or the FBI at 385-1281.