Photo: NICHOLAS KAMM / AFP / Getty Images
FBI agents negotiated for more than eight hours Thursday with a suspect who held five bank employees hostage in the city of Saint Cloud, as reported by WCCO journalist Jeff Wagner from Minnesota .
At a press conference held just before midnight Thursday, St. Cloud Police Chief Blair Anderson, said he got a call at 911 around 1: 48 pm of Wells Fargo branch manager at number 200 of the 33 rd Avenue South, in which it was said that were concerned about the safety of customers and employees due to the p presence of a “disgruntled” man who was upset about a previous transaction.
While officers were on their way, police were notified that a panic alarm was triggered in the bank . All customers fled the building, leaving five employees there with the suspect , identified by Chief Anderson as Ray Reco McNeary , from 35 years.
When the police arrived , McNeary requested that the FBI be called.
A FBI tactical team and a crisis negotiation team arrived on the scene and were in open communication for hours with McNeary.
The first hostage was released shortly before 6: 33 pm Immediately after she left, McNeary was seen throwing a wad of cash on the sidewalk.
It appears a hostage was released from the bank, followed by someone throwing a wad of cash out the door . @ WCCO pic.twitter.com/BJR2TNh3WD
– Jeff Wagner (@ Jeff_Wagner4) May 6, 2021
Approximately 7: 35 pm, a second hostage was released.
Another hostage released. @ WCCO pic.twitter.com/wr19 uHpxsq
– Jeff Wagner (@ Jeff_Wagner4) May 7, 2021
A third hostage left the building shortly after 7: 50 pm
It appears a third hostage has been released. @ WCCO pic.twitter.com/xa5x1HQ8BH
– Jeff Wagner (@ Jeff_Wagner4) May 7, 2021
A fourth hostage was escorted shortly after 8 pm
It appears a 4th hostage has been released. @ WCCO pic.twitter.com/kkoOtsE25 z
– Jeff Wagner (@ Jeff_Wagner4) May 7, 2021
And after more than 8 hours of negotiations, this is the moment when the fifth hostage escapes and the suspect is arrested:
WATCH: After a more than 8 hour standoff, this was the moment the 5th hostage escaped from the bank and the suspect was taken into custody. @ WCCO pic.twitter.com/LL8ehna4ve
– Nick Streiff (@nickstreiff) May 7, 2021
Chief Anderson said that some of the five hostages they ran towards the door to escape, including the fifth and final hostage, who can be seen coming out the front door right when St. Cloud police and FBI tactical teams entered to storm the building. Later, McNeary was arrested without incident.
Perpetrator of the attempted robbery with hostages has a criminal record
St. Cloud Police Chief Anderson said that It is unclear if McNeary had a weapon and investigators were still searching the building.
He also said that McNeary has a “long criminal record” dating back about a decade, and he was due to appear in court Thursday in connection with a violent crime.
Stearns County Prosecutor, Janelle Kendall, said during Thursday night’s press conference that his office was actively speaking with the U.S. Attorney General’s Office about which agency will press charges against McNeary, which are expected to include bank robbery and kidnapping.
Hundreds of people gathered in front of the bank for hours to see how unfolding the events, cheering each time a hostage left the building.
At one point during the night, McNeary used one of the hostage’s phones and his Facebook account to post a short video broadcast live , where two hostages are seen sitting quietly while FBI agents are outside the window of an ATM.
Police said that none of the hostages or members of the security forces were injured in the ordeal.