Between 2019 and 2022, a series of violent bank robberies in San Diego involved masked gunmen who used extreme tactics, including dragging and striking tellers to force them to open vaults. These heists yielded nearly $400,000, significantly more than the average bank robbery. Prosecutors prosecuted leader Larry Lightning Jr. for numerous felony counts, including robbery and assault. Witness testimonies revealed the severe emotional trauma experienced by victims, some fearing for their lives during the robberies. Lightning was found guilty, though his defense argued against his leadership role in the crimes.
The planning and violence worked as intended; the San Diego-area heists netted the robbers nearly $400,000, far surpassing the average bank robbery haul of $4,200.
Two separate victims in two separate robberies testified that they imagined their deaths and saying goodbye to their children while being confronted by the robbers.
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