Bank robbery suspect dead following chase, standoff in Rancho Santa Margarita

RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, Calif. (FOX 11) - A pursuit ended in Rancho Santa Margarita with a standoff between Orange County Sheriff's deputies and a suspected bank robber Friday afternoon.

It was a very active scene at Avenida de las Banderas and Avenida Empresa in Rancho Santa Margarita.

The suspect died at the scene from a gunshot wound believed to be self-inflicted, officials said.

Sheriff's officials say the person is suspected of a bank robbery in Dana Point. A man believed to be the so-called Leatherface Bandit led authorities on a chase that ended with a crash and the suspect refusing to come out of a white pickup truck resulting in a standoff.

Deputies eventually discovered the suspect wasn't moving and had taken his own life, according to the Sheriff's Office.

The suspect robbed a Pacific Western Bank branch in the 34100 block of Pacific Coast Highway in Dana Point at about 3:40 p.m. Friday, according to the FBI. They recognized a bicycle in the back of the pickup they say was used in previous bank robberies.

The Leatherface Bandit is linked to holdups in Yorba Linda on April 9, 2019 and two more on March 8-9, 2019 in Newport Beach and Costa Mesa, officials said. He got the moniker because he wears a mask during heists.

Sheriff's deputies say they spotted suspicious items inside the pickup and called in the bomb squad out of an abundance of caution. The FBI says they are still working to confirm the suspect's identity.

CNS contributed to this report