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As the suspects exited the bank with an undisclosed amount of cash, the customer who had not moved fast enough followed them out into the parking lot of the plaza where the bank is located, said Staff Inspector Earl. A struggle ensued between the customer, a man in his early fifties, and the man with the handgun. The customer got shot in the abdomen and had to be transported to a trauma centre for surgery.

“This is a brazen, cowardly act to take over a bank like this armed with fully loaded weapons, and then to fire the weapons in the bank is very rare,” said Staff Inspector Earl.

The victims’ injuries are not life threatening, according to Toronto EMS.

Police were at the scene for several hours interviewing witnesses.

The suspects, described as having a medium build, escaped in a 1998 Green Honda Civic which was reportedly stolen overnight, said Staff Inspector Earl. The vehicle’s licence plate is AKAC 786. The suspect with the rifle was wearing a white hoodie, a quilted winter vest and white jeans. The other suspect with the handgun was wearing a Chicago White Sox hat, a black hoodie and light blue jeans. Police are asking the public to call them if they see the men or the stolen car.

The TD Bank Group released a statement about the incident.

“Our first priority is always the safety of our customers and employees and we sincerely regret that anyone was hurt,” said the statement. “It’s our understanding that the injuries are not life-threatening and we are making support available to ensure the well-being of any customers and employees involved in the incident.”

Approximately 175 robberies take place in Toronto’s financial institutions each year. There were a 150 such incidents reported in 2011, according to statistics maintained by the Toronto Police.