In Florida this morning, a robber walked into Coral Gables Bank of America and took hostages. The Miami hostage situation may have begun with a kidnapping earlier in the day, though investigations can be ongoing. Law enforcement confirmed that the hostage situation was over before noon on Friday morning. All hostages were out of the structure.
The hostage scenario at Coral Gables
Thursday night, there was a kidnapping associated with the Coral Gables Bank of America heist. The person who was kidnapped had to strap themselves to a bomb. Allegedly, the individual entered the financial institution before it opened. The response to the hostage scenario started at 8 within the morning. Schools in the area were locked down during the Miami hostage scenario. Transportation around the was also shut down.
Thursday evening kidnapping connected to Coral Gables Bank robbery
There was a home attack in the Miami Nob Hill apartments Thursday. This home attack might have been a kidnapping, and has been connected to the bank robbery. The perpetrators are still at-large. Police have asked residents to keep an eye out for a red Mustang with two people driving it. It was a Coral Gables Bank of America employee that was strapped to the bomb. Nobody is certain yet if those responsible for this crime actually entered the bank. There is not yet a word on if the Coral Gables Bank hostage was actually a robbery, or if there was some other motivation for the crimes.
Miami hostage situation over, bomb stays
There has been confirmation that the Coral Gables Bank was taken hostage. Just three and a half hours following the Miami hostage situation started, the last individuals had left the building. The bomb that had been strapped to an employee was apparently removed, because everyone left the building and the explosive device was still inside. The bomb squad and FBI remained on the scene while the bomb was diffused. Until the Miami hostage situation is clear, all schools and companies around Coral Gables Bank remain locked down.
Additional reading
Miami Herald
miamiherald.com/2010/09/24/1840420/police-hostage-situation-at-coral.html
CBS
cbs4.com/local/bank.robbery.coral.2.1929612.html
