A heart-stopping moment captured on newly released surveillance video shows a Lee County Sheriff’s Office sniper executing a precision shot that neutralized an armed bank robber holding two hostages.
In February, 36-year-old Sterling Alavache, who was armed with a knife and claimed to have a bomb, was shot dead by a SWAT sniper during a robbery in southwest Florida.
According to the sheriff, the suspect was placing the hostages in “imminent danger” by putting one of them in a headlock and holding a knife to her throat during the hostage.
The footage, which has been circulating on social media, highlights the sniper’s skill as his bullet pierces a computer monitor to fatally strike the suspect at a Bank of America in Fort Myers.
The video, edited for clarity and context, was released by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office on Facebook this past Saturday.
ust inside the lobby and outside the bank were members of the Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Unit, a Hostage Negotiations Team, and Patrol Bureau, some of who were dressed in tactical gear.
The video offers a look over the shoulder of the sniper as he takes aim with his rifle supported on the shoulder of the man in front of him. The angle provides a hint of the limited view of the suspect and how he was shielded by the monitor.
The scene cuts to the moment the sniper takes his shot, and the .308-caliber bullet crosses the full length of the lobby and cuts right through the monitor. The suspect collapses instantly.
Flash bang devices were soon deployed, and the members of the Special Unit Team rushed in to ensure the hostages were safe and that the suspect was not a threat, Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Lt. Todd Ulmer noted.
“I couldn’t be more proud of the men and women of law enforcement today,” Marceno said on the day of the robbery. “How you train is how you perform, and this is exactly what we train for.”
Edited to correct spelling mistake in thread title.This message has been edited. Last edited by: 12131,
Q
June 09, 2024, 08:12 PM
cgode
Awesome shot at a very small target! You can tell this team has trained and that officer had the confidence in his skills.
________________________ Those who trade liberty for security have neither
June 09, 2024, 09:10 PM
MikeinNC
Can’t watch it w/o some Facebook access…is it anywhere else?
"Violence, naked force, has settled more issues in history than has any other factor.” Robert A. Heinlein
“You may beat me, but you will never win.” sigmonkey-2020
“A single round of buckshot to the torso almost always results in an immediate change of behavior.” Chris Baker
June 09, 2024, 09:11 PM
drill sgt
Well done officer in stopping the threat. ............................... drill sgt.
June 09, 2024, 09:48 PM
sigmonkey
"...keep talking to me, keep talking to me, I wanna know what's going through your head right now..."
Um, somthin', sumthin', boatail?
Outstanding.
"the meaning of life, is to give life meaning" ✡ Ani Yehudi אני יהודי Le'olam lo shuv לעולם לא שוב!
Originally posted by MikeinNC: Can’t watch it w/o some Facebook access…is it anywhere else?
Funker530
June 09, 2024, 11:28 PM
SigSauerP226
Pretty insane shooting off the shoulder of a teammate. Dudes gotta stay really still, but I guess at that distance its less of an issue. Nice work!
...Then it comes to be that the soothing light at the end of your tunnel, was just a freight train coming your way...
June 09, 2024, 11:28 PM
radioman
Glad the suspect died. Sounds cold, but yeah, I'm glad he died.
.
June 09, 2024, 11:33 PM
12131
^^^^ "Cold"? Nah, I'm cool with that.
Q
June 09, 2024, 11:53 PM
Russ59
Bro spilt blood on the copier or cabinet. He should clean that up before checking out.
P229
June 09, 2024, 11:56 PM
Beancooker
That’s some Seal Team 6 shit right there. Good riddance to the oxygen waster.
quote:
Originally posted by sigmonkey: I'd fly to Turks and Caicos with live ammo falling out of my pockets before getting within spitting distance of NJ with a firearm.
June 10, 2024, 01:36 AM
KMitch200
Reminds me of a military sniper that entered a police sniper match. He thought, “Well I’ve shot guys at over 1000 yards, I should be okay.” He said the first stage was #2 pencil erasers at 75 yards. Hit the metal, fail! Miss? Obvious fail. He said it was humbling to fail miserably. PRECISION was the name of the game in that match and opened his eyes to what real precision meant to police sniping.
This was a great example of what precision means from an improvised position! Well done officers!
-------- After the game, the King and the pawn go into the same box.
June 10, 2024, 02:14 AM
Lunasee
quote:
Originally posted by radioman: Glad the suspect died. Sounds cold, but yeah, I'm glad he died.
Cold? No. Suspect is room temperature.
June 10, 2024, 03:57 AM
gunnitt
I live in Lee county, and of course people cried foul saying it was excessive. Great job officers God bless all first responders.
June 10, 2024, 04:02 AM
wrightd
quote:
Originally posted by radioman: Glad the suspect died. Sounds cold, but yeah, I'm glad he died.
I think it would be colder if they had offered him hot chocolate and talked to him about his mommy issues and promising classic comic books, free weed, and conjugal visits in prison. Now that would have been cold.
An outstanding response and resolution by those officers, top of the line right there.
Lover of the US Constitution Wile E. Coyote School of DIY Disaster
June 10, 2024, 04:26 AM
12131
quote:
Originally posted by gunnitt: I live in Lee county, and of course people cried foul saying it was excessive. Great job officers God bless all first responders.
FUCK.THEM.
Q
June 10, 2024, 05:12 AM
sgalczyn
308 at ~25 yds or less.....oof! That had to sting!
