Florida’s law enforcement agencies by and large emphasize public safety and the rule of law over social justice and “equity.” So when a knife-wielding goober named Sterling Alavache decided he’d add hostage-taking to bank robbery to his rap sheet, the Lee County Florida’s Sheriff’s Department took care of business. A sheriff’s department sniper used a suppressed rifle to administer some .308 caliber ballistic therapy, ending the standoff and freeing the hostages.
Interestingly, just before the sniper pulled the trigger, the negotiator urged the perp to “Keep talking to me. Keep talking to me. Let me know what’s going through your head right now.” The suspect tried to use a computer monitor to limit his exposure to police officers just outside the lobby. That strategy didn’t work.
Negotiators like to keep the bad guy talking because most people can’t or won’t talk and execute an action like slashing a throat at the same time. It also serves as a viable option for good guys facing an armed robber. Ask questions and while he’s thinking of an answer or otherwise momentarily distracted, that’s a good time to take the initiative. It certainly worked in Lee County.
The result was a dead bank robber and two rescued hostages. The sharpshooter fired a shot through a computer monitor, hitting Alavache who was standing between his two hostages, causing a sudden and complete shutdown of his operating system. At the same time, the hostages came away largely unhurt aside from close exposure to at least two flash bangs.
As officers tried to get a would-be bank robber in Florida to surrender, the man decided instead to take two hostages. Then he put one of them in a headlock and held a knife to her throat — and that’s when a sheriff’s sniper ended it.
The 36-year-old attempted robber, who claimed to have a bomb, died. But the woman he tried to use as a shield, the other hostage and everyone else at the scene just outside Fort Myers escaped without injury.
Here’s the department’s video of what happened . . .
WATCH: Harrowing video shows moment sniper shoots through computer monitor and in between 2 hostages, taking out hostage-taker at Florida bank pic.twitter.com/jt2anv3fo0
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) June 9, 2024
Good job, Lee County.
3 Responses
The brains and blood on the wall was a nice touch. A rifled slug would have been more… dramatic though.
Nice job boys.
Sub 50 cent solution…Tax $$$ Saved.
amazing shooting under pressure! not everyone can do such incredible things.