Sniper Ends Bank Standoff; Hostage Rescued
POSTED: Tuesday, January 10, 2006
UPDATED: 7:39 am EST January 11,
2006
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KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- A 10-hour standoff with sheriff's deputies at an Osceola County, Fla., bank near Walt Disney World ended Tuesday night when a police sniper shot and killed one of the robbery suspects, and then deputies moved in and rescued a woman hostage."It has come to a successful end," Osceola Sheriff Bob Hansell said. "The hostage has been rescued. We have one hostage taker in custody and one is deceased."
SLIDESHOW: New Scene Images
Hansell said the dead suspect is a man. The arrested suspect was identified as Amanda Lynn Moeller.Authorities said hours after two hostages were released Tuesday night, officers attempted to blast into the Mercantile Bank from a back door. After the explosion, the bank robbers grabbed the woman hostage and entered her Lexus car that was parked outside the business.The three drove on West U.S. Highway 192 for a few blocks and then turned around after the vehicle's tires were blown out. During the pursuit, the suspects allegedly fired shots at sheriff's deputies, Local 6 News reported.The car was then parked at the Mercantile Bank, located at 7801 west U.S. Highway 192 in Osceola County's tourist corridor, a mile west of Disney World. The robbers remained there in a standoff with police for a short time.During the standoff, one of the robbery suspects exited the Lexus and jumped into a black sport utility vehicle. The SUV then became stuck in a ditch.Both vehicles were immediately surrounded and the incident ended a short time later when one of the suspects was shot and killed.The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is now investigating the case.Earlier Tuesday night, the man and woman robbery suspects traded a first hostage for cigarettes and a lighter. The pair later traded a second woman hostage (pictured) with a promise that SWAT team members would give them space and back off of the building.
Sheriff's spokeswoman Twis Lizasuain said the couple told officers that they did not intend to harm anyone earlier Tuesday.Tuesday, traffic in the tourist area ground to halt after deputies cordoned off the area.As a result, several families in town for Disney visits were stuck in area hotels and nearby restaurants were all but deserted.Local 6 News reported that the same bank was robbed last November by a man and woman who escaped with money. However, the two crimes have not been linked.Also, it is the second incident in Osceola's tourist corridor in two days. Monday, an unidentified man led Osceola deputies on a chase along a two-mile stretch of Osceola's tourist strip for two hours.He shot a man, fired at officers and stole four cars during the chase on a road that leads to Walt Disney World before he killed himself.Watch Local 6 News for more on this developing story.
Copyright 2007 by Internet Broadcasting Systems and Local6.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
SLIDESHOW: New Scene Images Hansell said the dead suspect is a man. The arrested suspect was identified as Amanda Lynn Moeller.Authorities said hours after two hostages were released Tuesday night, officers attempted to blast into the Mercantile Bank from a back door. After the explosion, the bank robbers grabbed the woman hostage and entered her Lexus car that was parked outside the business.The three drove on West U.S. Highway 192 for a few blocks and then turned around after the vehicle's tires were blown out. During the pursuit, the suspects allegedly fired shots at sheriff's deputies, Local 6 News reported.The car was then parked at the Mercantile Bank, located at 7801 west U.S. Highway 192 in Osceola County's tourist corridor, a mile west of Disney World. The robbers remained there in a standoff with police for a short time.During the standoff, one of the robbery suspects exited the Lexus and jumped into a black sport utility vehicle. The SUV then became stuck in a ditch.Both vehicles were immediately surrounded and the incident ended a short time later when one of the suspects was shot and killed.The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is now investigating the case.Earlier Tuesday night, the man and woman robbery suspects traded a first hostage for cigarettes and a lighter. The pair later traded a second woman hostage (pictured) with a promise that SWAT team members would give them space and back off of the building.
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Previous Stories:
- January 10, 2006: Bank Robbers With Woman Hostage Surrounded In Car
- January 10, 2006: Hostages Traded For Cigarettes, Space; Standoff Continues
- January 10, 2006: Another Hostage Released In Bank Standoff Near Disney
Copyright 2007 by Internet Broadcasting Systems and Local6.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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