Zhou Kehua

Zhou Kehua died in a shootout with police in Chongqing on the morning of Aug. 14, 2012.

Zhou Kehua (周克华), the 42-year-old man who stands accused of a series of robberies and killings dating back to 2004, died in a shootout with police in Chongqing Municipality on the morning of August 14, 2012. The shootout occurred at Tongjiaqiao, Shapingba District in Chongqing.

The search for Zhou had been on going since the morning of August 10, as he was suspected of having killed a woman and injured two more in a robbery in front of a Bank of China branch, where Zhou was thought to have taken 250,000 yuan (US$39,300) from the victims. Later on the same day, Zhou killed a railway police officer when the officer was patrolling a section of the city's railway.

The Chongqing police offered a 500,000 yuan reward for the capture of Zhou. The Ministry of Public Security classified Zhou as a "class-A" suspect, and a total of 5.4 million yuan in rewards were offered for tips leading to his capture nationwide.

Born on February 6, 1970 in Ertang Village, Jingkou Town, Shapingba District of Chongqing Municipality, Zhou got married at the age of 26 and later divorced. He had a 13-year-old son. He had been serving sentences for trafficking firearms.

The following are the timeline of Zhou Kehua's suspected crimes.

April 22, 2004

One woman was shot dead and another woman injured in a bank robbery in Jiangbei District in Chongqing. The suspect took 70,000 yuan (US$11,005) and fled.

May 16, 2005

Two suspects shot and robbed a couple near a bank in Shapingba District in Chongqing. The couple died and a passer-by was injured. The suspects made off with 170,000 yuan.

March 19, 2009

A People's Liberation Army soldier standing guard outside a garrison in Chongqing was shot dead. The victim was shot twice in the chest with a pistol. The suspect took the garrison guard's submachine gun and fled.

Oct. 14, 2009

A 56-year-old farmer was shot dead in a park in Tianxin District of Changsha, Hunan Province. The suspect used a homemade gun.

Dec. 4, 2009

A 41-year-old man was shot dead outside a bank in Tianxin District of Changsha. The victim had withdrawn cash and was walking to his car when the suspect shot him in the head. The suspect took 45,000 yuan from the man and fled.

Oct. 25, 2010

A trading company owner was shot dead in Yuhua District of Changsha. The suspect took the victim's laptop and fled.

June 28, 2011

A 48-year-old businessman was shot in the head and stomach as he got out of his car near a construction site in Tianxin District of Changsha. The man was taken to a hospital and survived.

Jan. 6, 2012

A man was shot dead in a robbery in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province. He was robbed shortly after he withdrew 200,000 yuan from a bank in the Xiaguan District. The suspect fled the scene by jumping into a vehicle. The victim died in a hospital.

Aug. 10, 2012

Zhou killed a woman and injured two others at 9:34 am Aug. 10, 2012, in a robbery in front of a Bank of China branch. Zhou was thought to have stolen 250,000 yuan (US$39,300) from the victims. Later at around 1 pm, Zhou shot and killed a railway police office when the officer was patrolling a section of railway in Chongqing, according to an officer from the Chongqing Public Security Bureau.