- A bank robbery suspect is killed by a SWAT sniper after an incident at a Fort Myers Bank of America
- Officials confirmed the man took two people hostage and put a woman in a headlock before threatening her with a knife
- The suspect also told officers who tried to negotiate with him that he had a bomb with him
An attempted bank robbery in Fort Myers turned deadly after the suspect was shot by a sniper.
Officers from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office were called to investigate an armed robbery at a Bank of America in the Florida city.
A woman inside the bank told me NBC2 that she had been inside when a young man jumped up on the counter and said he had a bomb.
Sheriff Carime Marceno confirmed the man then held two people hostage, putting one in a headlock and holding a knife to her throat.
Sheriff Carime Marceno confirmed the man then held two people hostage, putting one in a headlock and holding a knife to her throat
Officers from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office were called to investigate an armed robbery at a Bank of America in the Florida city
He confirmed that the suspect was shot and killed by a SWAT sniper after displaying deadly force.
Marceno said: “There was a chaotic scene, we deployed all the technology. A group of officers immediately went inside as dozens of people ran. They started securing all parts of the building.
“Hostage negotiations began with our suspect, soon we found ourselves face to face with a male suspect armed with a knife.
‘He also claimed he had a bomb. He had two hostages at the time, at one point he got physical.
‘He started to put one of the hostages in a headlock and put a knife to her throat.
“When he presented such deadly force, our SWAT sniper shot and killed the suspect. I am proud that both hostages are safe.”
Footage of the police response to the scene emerged on social media, showing special operations vans and SWAT teams arriving on the scene.
Footage of the police response to the scene emerged on social media, showing special operations vans and SWAT teams arriving on the scene
Footage was also captured in the building, showing officers trying to negotiate with the man
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office says the deputy sniper is now on administrative leave, per normal protocol.
Footage also emerged showing police negotiators trying to reason with the unknown man.
You can hear an officer say, “Listen, just come here and show me your hands.” We will work with you.
“I know you’re going through a lot, but this doesn’t make what you’re going through any easier.”
The suspect can be heard shouting back at the officers, with his words being difficult to understand.