EARLY MORNING SHOOTOUT ERUPTS OUTSIDE BANK.

Byline: - Orith Goldberg

Police were searching for five suspects involved in a shootout early Friday with an armored car crew at a bank.

Los Angeles Police Department officials say a man, in an apparent robbery attempt, fired at an armored car crew servicing an ATM at a Bank of America branch on the 21000 block of Devonshire at 1:50 a.m. Friday. A guard fired back, but no one was injured, said LAPD Robbery Homicide Detective John Wong.

He said there was no evidence of bullets even hitting the armored truck.

The attempted robbery occurred as a three-man Brinks armored truck crew pulled up to the bank and two of them went inside the bank to service the ATM, Wong said.

The driver of the truck observed a suspicious car near the parking lot that then disappeared, so the driver circled the bank, Wong said.

In the back parking lot, near a trash bin, the driver observed two men, about 6 feet 1 inch to 6 feet 4 inches, 180 to 220 pounds, wearing dark clothing. At least one of the men pulled out a weapon that appeared to be a .38-caliber handgun and fired from about 25 yards away, Wong said.

The Brinks driver pulled out a shotgun and fired three times, Wong said.

After gunfire rang out, a dark, two-door Mustang between the model years of 1998 and 2000, drove by and the two men got inside and drove away.

Police believe there may have been at least three others inside the car, Wong said.

Wong said the FBI was notified of the attempted robbery.

Anyone with information regarding the shooting can call [phone] during the day and [phone] at night.