Two Dead, Two Wounded in Alabama Bank Robbery

May 14, 2007 — -- A violent bank robbery at a Wachovia branch in Bessemer, Ala., left two bank tellers dead and two other employees wounded on Monday. Authorities are searching for a second suspect they believe was involved.

The incident took place shortly after 9 a.m. Central time, just after the bank branch had opened. The shooter, whose name has not been released, opened fire after demanding money from tellers. A sheriff's deputy who was passing by the location saw the gunman exit the building with a hostage, a gun pointed to the hostage's head. Police captured the gunman after shooting him in the leg.

The two dead tellers were identified as Sheila Prevo and Eva Hudson. Prevo had worked at Wachovia for just over two years, and Hudson had been with the company for nearly four years, the Associated Press reported. Two other bank employees, Anita Gordon and LaToya Freeman, were wounded and hospitalized. As of this afternoon Gordon remained in critical condition.

"This is a sad day for the Wachovia family," Wachovia spokeswoman Christy Phillips told ABC News. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their families," she added.

Phillips said today's robbery was the most serious shooting ever at a Wachovia location.

FBI spokesman Paul Daymond said that money was taken from the bank, though he would not release the amount.

There were more than 6,000 recorded bank robberies nationwide in 2006, according to FBI statistics. Thirteen people were killed during those robberies, among those fatalities were 10 perpetrators and one bank employee.