On February 7, 2024, the Bank of America in Fort Myers witnessed an attempted robbery by Sterling Ramon Alavache. Sterling Ramon Alavache held two Bank of America workers in Florida at knifepoint while claiming to have a bomb when he was shot dead by a sniper from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.
The sniper was positioned at the entrance and took the shot through a computer screen in the bank. The Lee County Sheriff’s Office released video footage of the dramatic hostage situation, which included a sniper taking aim at the robbery suspect, providing a perspective on the training given.
Newly released surveillance video shows how the armed man who had taken two hostages during an attempted bank robbery was neutralized by a Lee County Sheriff’s Office sniper.
The video also revealed how the sniper fired the shot that pierced a computer monitor and split the two hostages being held in the suspect’s arms to strike the suspect in the head, killing him instantly.
The highly edited video was posted on Facebook on Saturday. It also shows members of the Sheriff’s Office explaining what was happening at the time the decision to fire was made.
Sheriff Carmine Marceno explained,
“We train for the worst-case scenario. We train for hostage negotiations and what that means, going from the worst-case to the best scenario. This is a very unfortunate incident, but I will tell you, the two hostages being safe was our top priority.”
The post also detailed that the suspect had a knife and also claimed to carry a bomb. The alleged robbery attempt happened on February 6 at the Bank of America location in Fort Myers.
The footage shows the suspect holding two hostages, with one of the victims in an armlock and a knife held at her neck.
The bank and its outer ramparts were filled with members of the Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Unit, a Hostage Negotiations Team, and Patrol Bureau, some of whom were dressed in tactical gear.
The video also showed a sniper who had positioned his rifle on the shoulder of another security personnel. However, his sight was obstructed by a computer monitor, and he did not have a clear line of fire.
The video then depicts the moment when the sniper takes his shot and a .308-caliber bullet crosses the full length of the lobby and cuts right through the monitor.
The bullet pierces the head of the suspect, and he collapses immediately. The Special Unit Team rushed into the bank to ensure that all the hostages were safe.
Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Lt. Todd Ulmer noted,
“I couldn’t be more proud of the men and women of law enforcement today and how you train is how you perform, and this is exactly what we train for.”
Sterling Ramon Alavache, 36, was reported to be suffering from mental ailments such as schizophrenia and depression.
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