At least five people are dead in a mass shooting carried out at SunTrust Bank in Sebring, FL, according to CNN. Details are currently sparse, but it seems a gunman barricaded himself inside the bank and shot people.
The suspect, Zephen Xaver, 21, is now in custody.
“We’ve suffered significant loss at the hands of a senseless criminal doing a senseless crime,” Sebring Police Chief Karl Hoglund said in a statement.
It’s unclear whether the people killed were customers or bank employees. They have not yet been identified and their families haven’t been notified.
From CNN:
The incident began with the phone call to authorities from the suspect around 12:36 p.m. He said he had fired shots inside the bank, according to police. Sebring Police and Highlands County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the scene.
Initial negotiations to try to get the barricaded suspect to leave the bank were not successful, so a SWAT team entered the bank and continued negotiations.
The suspect eventually surrendered to the SWAT team at the bank along US-27, between Lake Jackson and Little Lake Jackson, police said.
“This is a terrible day for Sebring, Highlands County and for the state of Florida,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said.
SunTrust Chairman and CEO Bill Rogers said in a statement that he is “are deeply saddened by the tragic shooting.”
“We are working with officials and dedicating ourselves to fully addressing the needs of all the individuals and families involved. Our entire team mourns this terrible loss,” Rogers said.
“We ask that you please keep them in your prayers, keep them in your thoughts,” Hoglund asked in his statement. “Help Sebring and our community stay strong.”