Waqr Ghumman, 27, and Mohsin Zamir, 31, are on the run and indicted on federal charges for the armed robbery of Evans Bank in Tonawanda, New York. On January 8, 2016, the duo stormed the bank at 2800 Niagara Falls Boulevard just before 6 p.m., brandishing BB guns that looked like real pistols, forcing employees and customers to the floor with shouted threats.
The indictment, handed down by a federal grand jury in Buffalo, charges Ghumman and Zamir with bank robbery, entering a bank with intent to commit larceny, and bank larceny. Each count carries a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Adler, prosecuting the case, said the suspects were aided by 28-year-old Nicholas Graham, who drove them to the scene in a 2007 Infiniti and acted as lookout and getaway driver.
Inside the bank, Ghumman and Zamir wore nearly identical disguises—dark tan hooded jackets, tan pants, dark baseball caps, and masks. They yelled commands including, ‘get down on the ground and no one gets hurt,’ ‘everyone wants to go home tonight,’ and ‘don’t look at me.’ No physical injuries were reported, but the psychological terror left witnesses shaken, according to law enforcement sources.
Hours after the robbery, FBI and Town of Tonawanda Police tracked the trio to the Scottish Inn Motel on the same highway. There, officers recovered cash, the clothing worn during the robbery, the BB guns, receipts for the purchase of the weapons, and multiple identification cards. Graham was arrested at the scene; Ghumman and Zamir fled before agents could apprehend them.
Graham has since pleaded guilty and is scheduled for sentencing on April 20, 2016. Meanwhile, a nationwide manhunt continues for Ghumman and Zamir. Authorities believe they may have fled across state lines or are hiding within underground networks in the Northeast corridor. The FBI is offering a reward for information leading to their capture.
The investigation was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation under Special Agent-in-Charge Adam S. Cohen, alongside the Town of Tonawanda Police Department, directed by Chief Jerome C. Uschold. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York emphasized that the indictment is merely an accusation—Ghumman and Zamir are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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