Sniper shoots accused financial institution robber holding knife to hostage’s throat, Florida cops say
A person accused of attempting to rob a Financial institution of America was shot and killed by a sniper when he turned aggressive towards a hostage, a Florida sheriff mentioned.
The person, recognized in a Fb put up as 36-year-old Sterling Ramon Alavache, walked into a Bank of America in Fort Myers round 11 a.m., Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno mentioned throughout a information convention.
Marceno mentioned the sheriff’s workplace obtained a name a few “financial institution theft in course of with a number of hostages” shortly after.
“It’s all fingers on deck,” Marceno mentioned, joined by FBI brokers. “It was a chaotic scene. We deployed all know-how, that’s the robo-dog, our SWAT staff, the digital surveillance, drones.”
Deputies rushed into the constructing as dozens of individuals inside got here pouring out, Marceno mentioned.
The remainder of the constructing was secured, in line with the sheriff, and hostage negotiators made contact with Alavache contained in the financial institution.
The person had a knife, Marceno mentioned, and had taken two individuals hostage as he claimed to have a bomb.
“At one level throughout negotiations, he turned bodily,” the sheriff mentioned. “He began to place one of many hostages in like a headlock, and he had the knife to her throat.”
The sheriff mentioned when Alavache began to point out probably “lethal pressure,” a sniper from the SWAT staff shot and killed him.
Each hostages had been unhurt and safely rescued from the financial institution, Marceno mentioned.
The shooter on the SWAT staff shall be positioned on administrative depart whereas the investigation continues, as per the workplace’s coverage, the sheriff mentioned.
“That is precisely what we practice for. We practice for worst-case situation. We practice for hostage negotiations. And what which means, going from worst-case to finest situation. It is a very unlucky incident, however I’ll inform you the 2 hostages being secure was our high precedence,” Marceno mentioned.
Alavache was a convicted felon and had confronted fees of drug trafficking, aggravated assault and carrying a hid firearm from a number of states.
The investigation is “open and energetic,” the sheriff mentioned, and extra particulars are anticipated to be launched.
Fort Myers is about 130 miles south of Tampa.
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