Sheriff's Sniper Kills Bank Hostage-Taker with Precision Shot

A Florida sheriff's office has released video footage showing the moment a sniper shot through a computer monitor, killing a suspect who held hostages at a bank.

On February 6, 2024, a tense hostage situation unfolded at a Bank of America in Fort Myers, Florida. Responding deputies discovered that a suspect, later identified as 36-year-old Sterling Alavache, had taken two hostages - a man and a woman - and was armed with a knife and claimed to have a bomb.

Sheriff Carmine Marceno of the Lee County Sheriff's Office (LCSO) said that deputies attempted to negotiate with Alavache, including when he held a knife to the female hostage's throat. However, after Alavache "presented deadly force," an LCSO Special Operations Unit sniper fired a precise shot through a computer monitor, striking Alavache in the center of the forehead and killing him instantly.

Alavache had an extensive criminal history, including drug trafficking, aggravated assault, and carrying a concealed firearm from several states, LCSO said. He was a convicted felon.

LCSO public information officer Lieutenant Todd Olmer said that "firing through barriers is a trained and routinely practiced skill by Lee County Sheriff's Special Operations Unit snipers." The .308 caliber bullet used was specifically selected due to its ballistic reliability traveling through intermediate barriers.

After Alavache was shot, flash bangs were used as distraction devices as the Special Operations Unit moved in to remove the hostages and confirm that Alavache was no longer a threat, the sheriff said. The hostages were unharmed.

Toward the end of the video released by LCSO, the computer monitor that the sniper shot through could be seen with a gaping hole, but still functioning.

Fort Myers residents and community leaders praised the skill and precision of the sniper, who was able to take out the suspect without harming the hostages. The incident highlights the challenges and risks that law enforcement officers face in hostage situations.

The LCSO is continuing to investigate the incident, including the suspect's motive and the circumstances leading up to the hostage-taking. The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of vigilance and training for law enforcement officers in dealing with critical incidents.