Cop Shoots Armed Bank Robbery Suspect After High Speed Chase and Carjackings

 

 

San Jose, California — On April 21, 2025 shortly before 10 a.m., two male suspects entered the Diablo Valley Federal Credit Union on Detroit Avenue in Concord and robbed the staff at gunpoint. As they were leaving the area, Concord Police Department officers located the suspect vehicle, which immediately began to flee, and a police pursuit was initiated. The suspects ultimately fled south on Interstate 680. During the course of the pursuit, both the suspect vehicle and officers encountered heavy traffic on SB Interstate 680 in Sunol. The suspect vehicle became disabled. The suspects then exited their vehicle and carjacked one victim at gunpoint and attempted to flee in that person’s car, but the victim driver was able to disable his vehicle, before they were able to escape. The suspects then carjacked another victim at gunpoint and fled in their vehicle. Concord Police Department officers pursued the suspects in the carjacked vehicle to San Jose where that vehicle collided with another vehicle and became disabled. Both suspects fled on foot. Concord Police Department officers continued to chase one of the suspects, later identified as 29-year-old Cruz Vargas, from San Jose, who was holding a handgun, illegally modified to be fully automatic and with a high-capacity drum magazine, in his hand. Concord Police Department officers saw Vargas attempt to carjack another vehicle and at this point one officer fired his gun striking Vargas, who was then taken into custody and provided medical aid. Vargas was then transported to an area hospital for treatment. San Jose Police Department officers responded and conducted a search for the second suspect. They located 21-year-old Elijah Phillips, from San Jose, who was still in possession of the money stolen from the credit union robbery. It was later learned that Cruz Vargas was on CDCR parole for a prior carjacking and Elijah Phillips had active warrants for domestic violence and theft. Vargas recovered from a gunshot wound after the incident. According to court records, Contra Costa County prosecutors have charged him with multiple counts of armed robbery and carjacking, along with multiple weapons violations. Prosecutors also charged Phillips with multiple counts of armed robbery and carjacking and one count of being in possession of a machine gun.