LANCASTER – Two suspects who allegedly robbed a Lancaster business and then tried to carjack a woman at gunpoint were captured in Lancaster City Park Thursday morning, authorities said.
Donte Ray, 28, of Lancaster and Pierce Burns, 28, of Palmdale were arrested on armed robbery charges, according to Lancaster Station Community Relations deputy Michael Rust.
The men were identified as the suspects who held up the AT&T store located in the 1000 Block of West Avenue K in Lancaster, Rust said.
The robbery was reported to the Lancaster Sheriff’s Station shortly before 9 a.m. Thursday.
The caller reported that the store had just been robbed by two suspects and one of them was armed with a pistol, Rust said.
Moments later, a second report was received from a woman who said she was in the parking lot of the AT&T store, when two suspects attempted to steal her cell phone and car keys at gunpoint, Rust said.
The woman escaped the confrontation unharmed and apparently drove over to the Lancaster Auto Mall on Commerce Center Drive to report the crime, Rust said.
As the deputies were responding to these reports they learned that both suspects were last seen running towards the AVTA Bus terminal at Lancaster City Park, Rust said.
The perimeter of the park and the nearby Antelope Valley (14) Freeway was quickly contained by dozens of responding deputies and a K-9 unit.
As the deputies began searching for the suspects, they were contacted by several people at the bus terminal, who directed them to the suspects, according to Rust.
“They were captured inside the Park & Ride over at the city park,” Rust said, adding that there were no reported injuries connected to the incident.
During the investigation, the deputies retraced the suspects’ paths from the bus terminal back to the AT&T store. Along the path they found two Airsoft pistols, cash and several items, including cell phones and iPads, that had been stolen during the robbery, Rust said.
Ray and Burns were each booked at the Lancaster Sheriff’s Station around noon on $1 million bail.
Editor’s note: Story updated with additional information from deputy Michael Rust.
–
Aaron Edwards says
I KNOW DONTE RAY PERSONALLY BECAUSE HE IS MY BROTHER HE IS THE OLDEST OUT IF ALL OF US ABD I AM THE SECOND TO YOUNGEST OUT OF 11 SIBLINGS. HE IS A GOOD PERSON WE ALL MAKE MISTAKES AND SOMETIMES THE PEOPLE WE HANG AROUND CAN CORRUPT IS MORE THAN WE THINK. I NEVER WOULD HAVE THOUGHT HE WOULD HAVE DONE ANYTHING OF THIS NATURE BEFORE BUT LIKE I SAID THE PEOPLE YOU HANG AROUND SO CALLED FRIENDS CAN GET YOU INTO SITUATIONS THAT YOU KNOW ISNT RIGHT. AND ON THAT NOTE YOU GUYS HAVE NO IDEA EHAT HIS LIFE IS LIKE YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT HE GOES THROUGH HE HAS TWO LOVELY DAUGHTERS AND A WIFE WHO HE LOVES DEARLY AND OBVIOUSLY HE HAD TO DO WHAT WAS NECESSARY TO SURVIVE AND FEED HIS KIDS. WHEN PEOPLE ARE DESPERATE THEY WILL DO ANYTHING EVEN IF ITS BREAKING MAN MADE LAWS. WHICH WE ALL BREAK IN SOME FORM OR FACTION. JUST BECAUSE HE ROVBED A PLACE MAKES HIM NO DIFF FROM PEOPLE WHO DRIVE 60 IN THE 45 ZONE, OR SOMEONE WHO DRINKS UNDER THE INFLUENCE, OR PEOPLE WHO BREAKS GODS LAWS. NO ONE IS PERFECT AND NO CRIME IS WORSE THAN THE OTHER, INSTEAD OF JUDGING BY THE CRIME WHY DONT YOU JUDGE BY THE PERSONS CHARACTER AND PERSONALITY, AND ASK HIM WHY HE DID THE THINGS HE DID. WHEN YOU DO THOSE THINGS YOU CAN REALLY SEE HOW SINCERE OR HOW FULL OF CRAP SOMEONE IS AND JUDGE THEM ACCORDING. NO ONE DESERVES TO BE PUNISHED FOR TRING TO FEED HIS FAMILY THATS WHAT A MAN IS SUPPOSE TO DO WEATHER HE DID IT IN IGNORANT. WAYS OR AS YOU SAY THE HONEST WAYS. AND WHILE YOU GUYS JUDGE HIM, HE IS ON TRIAL NOW AND THEY ARE TRIEN TO GIVE HIM 2 LIFE SENTENCES. IS THAT FAIR OR IS THAT RIGHT BY ANY MEANS? I DONT THINK SO SINCE WHEN DOES ANOTHER MAN GIVE A MAN LIFE FOR ROBBERY. BUT JUST LIKE THE CORRUPT GOVERNMENT WE HAVE ANOTHER MAN GETS MISTREATED. NOW YOU THINK ABOUT THAT DOES GE REALLY DESERVE 2 LIFE SENTENCES?
Gladys says
Donte needs to go to jail for his crimes and you need to go to school and finish your education.
In this Land of Social Services, no one HAS to rob anyone to survive. They just need to show up at some office, sign some phoney papers and get a check, free or cheap housing, more money for food than most families spend, free medical and dental. All they have to do is show up and sign up.
Stop making excuses. Does your mom know about birth control?
Aaron Edwards says
What makes you believe im not in school? You on eveyone’s comments but you havent said anything positive or really anything that pertains to this situation. Seem like your the type of person who gets off on ruin other peoples lives, cause your life sucks so bad. No matter what you do or what you have in this life, its still going to suck. Cause you mean very little to people cause you have nothing but negative to say. Get a life. Or Try Living Positive for a change. Nobody deserves life. And if the shoe was on the other foot. You woudnt say so much negativity. But understand. Maybe you should write him and ask why he did what he did since you want to sentence him. Besides this system you speak of isnt as easy as you think it is. And does your daughter know about birth contol?
Gladys says
Like I said, excuses, excuses. There is NO EXCUSE for robbing someone.
To answer you question about birth control. Yes, all 10 of my kids know about family planning. They know they need to be able to afford the kids they have, so no one ever has to rely on social services.
Rebecca says
Donte Commited A Crime. Period. He Knew Actually What He Was Doing, And There Is No Excuse For It. Needed To Feed His Family? Then He Should Of Tried To Get A Job Before Holding A Gun To Those People. Do You Know That At The End Of Every Day, 17 Million Children Go To Bed Hungry? Do You Think Their Parents Just Go Around Robbing Stores, And Blaming It On The Fact That They Need To Feed Their Families? No, Because That Is Not How The World Works. If He Really Needed To Feed His Family, He Should Have Went To Parking Lots And Started Asking For Change Like You See People Doing All The Time. There Are Other Alternatives Then Just Going And Putting Other People’s Lives In Danger. Before Commiting The Crime, He Should Have Thought Of The Consequences. As Far As I’m Concerned, Whatever Sentence They Give Him, Is The Sentence He Deserves.
Thao Corsilles says
Another great world war two airsoft gun that is a replica piece is the M1 Garand semi automatic replica gun. The M1 Garand was made to chamber the 30-06 round and was accurate to about four hundred meters. The world war two airsoft gun is built with full metal parts and a real wood stock. It looks exactly like what it was modeled after. The M1 Garand can be purchased for around nine hundred dollars to about nine hundred fifty dollars depending on what equipment comes with the gun..
Current blog post straight from our very own web page
http://caramoantourpackage.com/
CodeRed says
@Tim B.
It seems like you are making a comment directed at Gladys. You need to check yourself and your facts. She has worked hard in her community to stop crime and rid her neighborhood and City of criminals. She has reported many things that have gone unchecked. Including, City Employees in City vehicles sitting at home all day long while they are on the clock. Maybe, that’s what you’re angry about. lol
Joe Pesci says
@Letlow…Stop the racially filled agenda that you are pushing. This article is about all races who were caught breaking the law. It is not black, white, hispanic, etc. Therefore, do not make it that issue. We have as a nation attempted to overcome the racial stigma that has been placed upon our society by individuals who see too much color. Be colorblind for a bit and look at the human elements. Just so happens in this incident the individuals caught after the commission of a crime were black and off work for the day.
I do give you credit…white people do commit crimes as well. Better yet…humans commit crimes and willingly commit them for personal gain. People know the difference to between right/wrong and should be held accountable for the actions they decide to take.
@sikntired…I definitely agree, it isn’t the color, but the actions that of certain individuals that must be deemed as threats.
Letlow says
It’s telling how you hone in on my response but not a peep about the actually comment that triggered my post. I was responding to a comment that stated “young, black folk” were waiting to make their move. My response was simply a way of reminding people that criminals come in ALL colors, even white. Shame on you for taking my comment out of the context for which it was intended. On the other hand, I wouldn’t expect anything else from you… SMH!
Aaron Edwards says
Racism still rules the world i see.
NotAgain says
HA HA HA HA! A PAIR OF DUMB A$$ES WHO ROBBED A STORE AN HAD NO GET AWAY CAR!!! WAY TO GO! SO MUCH DRAMA IN THE AV!!
Kathy says
Great work, officers and observant citizens!! Fantastic outcome!
NRA Member says
Wow, two brilliant individuals trying to rob att store using BB guns, ha ha ha ha
gerry says
It worked didn’t it? Now if we had reasonable CCW laws in this state do you think these two would have tried that? If we had decent CCW laws, those hoodlums would have still had a BB gun, but the victims could have had something with a little more kick. Car jackings went down in Florida after they changed their CCW laws, of course criminals started to target more cars with out of state plates (although if they were smart they could also target those with OBAMA stickers, but who says criminals are smart.)
NRA Member says
Totally agree, liberalism creates victims, it is the law of the nature…
LDR says
Shut the hell up A-hole. I have a Obama sticker and a Big Azzz .45 acp & 9mm.
I know from fact the individual in this picture was not raised to wind up handcuffed.
Thomas says
Obama is going to take that 45 and all your money too
Patricia says
Is it just me or is this valley getting more crime ridden, I feel that I just want to stay home, it is not even safe to try to walk my dog.
fed up! says
I agree, this place has turned into L.A.’s dumping ground and local politicians don’t see it. Their too worried about making everything solar powered!
gladys says
They see it and are working on it. One day at a time.
Russel says
Oh yes, they see it. Don’t think they don’t. They are behind it.
Tim B. says
are you kidding me????? you are the biggest apologist for the criminal element and lawbreakers on this site!
LOL!!!! You pooped in your bed, now lay in it!
gladys says
Pretty strong statement Tim B, who are you talking too?
gladys says
Tim, I think your just mad cause I wouldn’t let you “set up” my neighbor. All you really needed to do was wait a few minutes till they REALLY did do something worth giving a citation for.
sammy P says
I am just stunned that they got caught. This crime was so meticulously planned. Everything from their choice of target to their getaway. They must have worked out the details for hours.
They knew that an AT&T store would have tons of cash that early, because they know most people who buy phones or Ipads use lots of cash these days, they also knew that not having a car wouldn’t be a problem because they could find a willing victim to carjack at a moments notice, and if not, its OK because these guys understood that the Lancaster Park AVTA area never has any people there waiting for a bus at 9am – so 2 young black males running full speed through there would not attract any attention at all!
I just can’t seem to figure out the flaw in their plan. :)
Thomas says
How did they both get the day off work to rob people?
sammy P says
I never thought of that! Well.. they are both 28 and healthy enough to run a half a mile down 10th from K to the park, so anyone as healthy and fit as these 2 guys must have had quite a few sick days saved up.. :)
Yo Mama says
They work for us fellas! They’ve aksed politely if they could have a pay day- on us- and, “Sure!” the state said.
Then they aksed for food stamps. Very politely, and Barak said, “Sure! Come. Eat.” B.O. even took your “tax cut” to make sure this fine group of folks have everything they need. Most of all- government. These folks gotta have it to survive. They can’t/won’t do anything for themselves.
Thanks dems!!
Palmdale_Diego says
A big ‘LIKE’ from me, Yo Mama.
Stinger says
Good old fashioned police work with active citizen support helping… That’s the way it should be!
sikntired says
Good work, two more knuckleheads out of the mix.
gerry says
So we can all feel safer for the next two or three weeks I guess.
Yo Mama says
Weeks? How bout minutes. There’s thousands more who look just like these fine, upstanding, young, black folk waitin to make their move. Stay inside!
Letlow says
Don’t forget the thousands of young WHITE ones like the sandy hair blonde one who broke into the poor woman’s apartment and got chased away by her dog and landed on the MOST WANTED list. Or the young white one who carjacked a poor woman at the gas station and led police on a high speed chase. Or the two white ones who broke into the cars of the poor tax paying citizens of Lancaster and barricaded themselves in a seedy motel with more than 100 stolen items. Or the young, white gang members arrested the other day in the gang raid with dog feces in their dresser drawers and plenty of stolen items and a loaded shotgun laying around the house with their children. Plenty of YOUNG WHITE FOLKS waiting to make their move. Stay inside!
sikntired says
that’s right Let, the minute we stereotype we fail to recognize the threat sitting next to us because he/she is not that “color”.however it does behoove us to be careful and note the “behavior” of people in our vicinity, and act accordingly.