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Police Search Anoka Co. Airport For Ty Hoffman

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A man accused of killing his former boyfriend at an Arden Hills, Minn. gas station is now wanted for bank robbery.

Surveillance video at the TCF Bank on County Road 10 in Blaine, Minn. captured an image of a man believed to be Lyle "Ty" Hoffman.

Police say Hoffman robbed the bank around 2 p.m. Sunday afternoon.

It was three weeks ago today, that 48-year-old Kelly Phillips was shot and killed outside an Arden Hills gas station. Police immediately began looking for Hoffman, his former boyfriend and business partner.

That day a search led them to the Anoka County Airport, but nothing was found.

On Monday, they returned.

"They walked in the door and said sheriff's department. They asked if they could look around, and they looked around the hangar a bit. They showed me a picture of the guy, and told me to lock my doors and take they keys out of my truck," Dave Rybak, who was in his dad's hangar at the time, said.

After Blaine police identified Sunday's bank robbery suspect as Hoffman, officers and deputies searched the airport hangar by hangar and through the air.

Ramsey County Chief Deputy John Kirkwood said Hoffman knows the airport after having taken flight lessons there.

"He is still at large, we think, in the area. And he is armed so we ask people to be very careful. If they see somebody that fits his description they should call 911 immediately," Kirkwood said.

While nothing was found during the hours of searching, it gave hope to Jim Phillips that his son's alleged shooter would be found.

"We're all just ready to hopefully bring this part of it to a close," Phillips said from his home in Iowa.

Phillips' friends are hoping for the same.

"Law enforcement from the beginning has stated concerns that people may be hiding him. I hope that's not true. I think today is a renewed sense of concern about the case. He is armed, he is dangerous, and he is on the loose and we have to find Ty Hoffman," said Phillips' friend Gary Schiff.

It's an urgency that Justin Jevnager also feels.

Twice now, police have searched the area where he works.

"I've got to work here a lot. Six, seven days a week. I don't like being here alone knowing someone like that is running around," Jevnager said.

Police said that the money Hoffman allegedly stole from the bank contained a dye pack so it will be marked red now.

Any business or vendor should call 911 if they come across that money.

Kirkwood said that if someone is assisting Ty Hoffman they could face federal and state charges.

Anyone with information should immediately contact police at 911 or anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

Recently, the Ramsey County Sheriff's Office issued Hoffman's revised wanted poster, which reflects the increased reward of $25,000 raised by the community and offered by Crime Stoppers.

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