A SWAT sniper killed a bank robbery suspect who had taken two hostages and threatened them with a knife and bomb at a Bank of America in Fort Myers, Florida. The suspect had entered the bank and jumped on the counter, claiming to have a bomb. He then held two people hostage, putting one in a headlock and threatening her with a knife. Police were called to the scene, and officers attempted to negotiate with the suspect, but the situation turned deadly when the suspect showed deadly force, leading to the SWAT sniper taking action to protect the hostages. The suspect was shot and killed, and the hostages were safely rescued.
Sheriff Carmine Marceno confirmed that the suspect was killed by the SWAT sniper after becoming physically aggressive and putting one of the hostages in a headlock while holding a knife to her throat. Video footage captured the tense situation inside the bank, as well as the arrival of special ops vans and SWAT teams, illustrating the chaotic scene. The deputy sniper is now on administrative leave, as is standard protocol after an officer-involved shooting. Negotiators also attempted to reason with the suspect, urging him to surrender peacefully and emphasizing that his actions wouldn’t make his situation any easier. The suspect’s final words to police were unclear and difficult to understand.