Armand Bruce, 29

Died Sept. 4, 2008 at 8:08 p.m.

Armand Bruce, 29, a black man, was shot in the 43500 block of Gadsen Avenue in Lancaster about 10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 9.

Bruce and another man approached a Brinks armored truck guard and pepper-sprayed her in the face, said Lt. Erik Ruble of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Lancaster station.

Ruble said the guard was about to pick up money from a business and was carrying an empty money bag, which she dropped when she was sprayed. He said the two men fled on foot after Bruce allegedly grabbed the money bag. Ruble said the guard was able to fire two shots just as the men were running, but did not know whether she struck anyone. Ruble said one of the shots struck Bruce in the back.

After the robbery, witnesses told deputies that one of the men got into an awaiting vehicle with two women. A citizen wrote down the vehicle's license plate and gave the information to authorities. The vehicle was found at a house a mile away from the robbery, Ruble said. The man and two women were taken into custody.

Meanwhile, Bruce was driven to Providence Holy Cross Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead about 8 p.m. Ruble said the driver of the car was taken into custody.

The Homicide Report was unable to reach a representative from Brinks Inc. for comment.

Anyone with further information about the incident is asked to call detectives with the Sheriff's Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500.