ATLANTA - A shootout with a police officer in Florida and bank robbery in Valdosta on Tuesday has sparked a manhunt across our region.
Authorities, including the FBI, said three siblings from north Florida are being sought. They say the trio is armed and dangerous. Their weapons are believed to include an assault rift.
FBI Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Lamkin, in conjunction with Valdosta Police Chief Charles F. Simons report the armed robbery of a Certus Bank in Valdosta on Tuesday.
Thursday, a U.S. magistrate in Macon issued warrants for the arrest of Ryan Edward Dougherty, Stanley Dylan Dougherty and Grace Lee E. Dougherty for the crime, according to an FBI news release.
It said the trio was last seen riding in a a white, four-door, 2006 Subaru Impreza, bearing New York license tag "FBE 5900".
They are also suspects of an attempted murder of a police officer in Zephyrhills, Fla., earlier on Tuesday. Zephyrhills is about 200 miles south of Valdosta and at about 7 a.m. a city patrol officer was chasing a vehicle that fit the description of the Impreza. The suspects in the vehicle began to shoot at the officer and subsequently disabled his vehicle. Multiple calibers were used in that shooting, according to the release.
The bank robbery was just after noon on Tuesday. The Valdosta Police Department along with the Lowndes County Sheriff's Office and the Remerton Police Department, responded to an armed robbery at Certus Bank. Officers arrived and were told that three individuals, dressed in black with masks, entered the bank through the front doors. The suspects are believed to be two white men and a white woman. As the robbers entered the bank, shots were fired toward the ceiling and everyone in the bank was instructed to get down.
At least two of the robbers brandished weapons, one described as being an AK-47 type assault rifle and the other appearing to be a machine pistol, while other robber obtained an undisclosed amount of money. All three robbers then left and were seen departing in white sedan.
The release describes the suspects as:
• Ryan Edward Dougherty, w/m, 21, 5'10" height, 180 lbs., brown hair, brown eyes.
• Dylan Dougherty Stanley, w/m, 26, 6'1" height, 185 lbs., brown hair, blue eyes.
• Lee Grace E. Dougherty, w/f, 29, 5'4" height, 120 lbs., brown hair, brown eyes.
An Associated Press story said public records list an Orlando, Fla., address for Grace Dougherty and a Zephyrhills, Fla., address for Ryan Dougherty. No listing was found for Stanley Dougherty.
Anyone with information regarding the crimes should call the FBI at (404) 679-9000 or the Valdosta PD at (229) 293-3145 or can remain anonymous by calling (229) 293-3091.