Related To Story WESTMINSTER SHOOTOUT
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Identities Of Bank Robbers In Gun Battle Released
Common-Law Couple From Loveland Identified By Coroner
POSTED: 3:28 pm MST November 20, 2009
WESTMINSTER, Colo. -- The two people shot to death after a bank robbery, pursuit and rolling gun battle through two cities were formally identified Friday.The man who died Thursday was 35-year-old Christian Benshoof, from Loveland, Colo. The woman who died in the same shootout was his common-law wife, Ashley Johnson, 25, also from Loveland.Adams County Coroner James Hibbard said Benshoof died from multiple gunshot wounds, with the fatal bullet hitting his head and upper chest. Johnson died from multiple gunshot wounds, with the fatal bullet hitting her in the chest.
Neighbors said Benshoof and Johnson had both been unemployed, but there were no signs they were capable of the kind of violence that ultimately led to their deaths. That neighbor, who did not want to be identified, said she helped Johnson with job leads, but the couple was desperate for money.She said she saw they had several guns in their home and noted a strange, paranoid reaction to an incident several weeks ago. She said a Comcast cable guy showed up at the couple's door but because he had no official badge and was not driving a marked Comcast vehicle, Benshoof held the cable guy at gunpoint until police arrived.7NEWS has learned that Benshoof was employed as temp worker in July at a Fort Collins company, Genesis Fixtures, a company that makes house fixtures. A human resources manager for Genesis said Benshoof was referred by a Loveland temporary employment agency, Resource MFG, but she didn't know when he left.Benshoof and Johnson had no children and had tattoos of wedding rings on their ring fingers. Neither has a criminal record in Colorado, according to records with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.The couple had lived in California, where Benshoof was licensed to be a security guard, and in Texas before moving to Colorado.The couple walked into the 1st Bank, located at 120th Avenue and Sheridan Boulevard at about 11:51 a.m. Thursday, armed but unmasked. Police have surveillance video from the bank, which clearly shows the faces of the two, but have not released it because it is part of an ongoing investigation.Benshoof demanded money from a bank officer, saying, "This isn't (expletive) funny," according to a 911 call from a teller inside the bank. Those 911 calls were released Friday.The bank robbers made off with some money, but it's unclear how much.They were spotted by an undercover Westminster police officer about 10 minutes later at a Safeway near 104th Avenue and Federal Boulevard and a chase began, with a number of police officers in pursuit.Police said Benshoof drove the rented silver Subaru Impreza north on Federal then made a right turn, heading east, on 120th Avenue where his car was hit by an unmarked police car. That's where the two suspects became involved in a gun battle with police officers as horrified witnesses in nearby cars and restaurants watched.Two police officers were wounded in the gun fight at 120th Avenue and Federal Boulevard. They were previously identified as Officer Sean Chandler and Deputy Chief Tim Carlson.Carlson was grazed by a bullet and treated at the scene. Chandler was shot in the hip and taken to St. Anthony's Central Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Chandler was released from the hospital Friday and is resting with family."Officer Chandler is in good spirits and hopes for a speedy recovery," said Westminster police spokesman Trevor Materasso. "Deputy Chief Carlson is doing well and fairly sore from yesterdays shooting ... He wishes to thank all of those that have shown support and concern for the Westminster Police Department family. He asks the public to also recognize all of the officers and support personnel that put their lives on the line and acted heroically in the line of duty."The Adams County Critical Incident Team is investigating the pursuit and shooting portion of the incident. The Federal Bureau of Investigations and the Westminster Police Department are working together to investigate the bank robbery.
Previous Story:
- November 19, 2009: Police Chase Ends In Gunfire; Both Suspects Dead
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