FORT MYERS, Fla. — A SWAT team sharpshooter shot and killed an attempted bank robber at the Bank of America building in Fort Myers' Bell Tower Shops complex.
Lee County Sheriff's Office deputies were dispatched to the area north of Daniels Parkway after receiving a call around 11 a.m. Tuesday about a bank robbery that included multiple hostages, Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno said during a news conference that was live streamed on Facebook.
"It was a chaotic scene," the sheriff said. Dozens of people reportedly ran from the building. A witness told WINK News that the man entered the bank and yelled he had a bomb and was not afraid to use it.
A group of deputies who entered the bank began to secure the building and begin hostage negotiations. Marceno said that the attempted robber had two hostages.
At some point, however, the attempted robber reportedly became physical and placed one of the hostages in a headlock, Marceno explained. The suspect, too, was said to have placed a knife to her throat.
That's when the SWAT sniper shot and killed the man.
"We were in fear for her life and safety," said Marceno, speaking about the hostage.
The SWAT member was placed on leave as part of typical sheriff's office procedures during an investigation.
