Gunman 'senselessly murders' FIVE people after walking into a SunTrust Bank branch in Florida and opening fire - before calmly phoning 911 to tell the cops and then giving himself up
- Cops say Zephen Xaver opened fire Wednesday inside SunTrust Bank in Sebring
- Officers arrived on scene at 12.36pm after Xaver reported the shooting to 911
- A SWAT team entered the bank to negotiate and Xaver eventually surrendered
- Video shows him being perp-walked through the parking lot in handcuffs
- Officials confirmed five people were killed at a press conference later in the day
- The victims' names have not been released pending family notification
Five people were shot dead after a 21-year-old gunman opened fire inside a Florida bank Wednesday afternoon.
Officers responded to the SunTrust Bank branch located at 1901 US 27 South around 12.36pm after a suspect, identified as Zephen Xaver, called 911 and reported that he had fired shots inside the bank, according to the Sebring Police Department.
After a standoff with officers and SWAT agents, Xaver eventually surrendered to authorities.
Video shows him being perp-walked in handcuffs through the parking lot to a police vehicle.
Initial reports said multiple people had been injured during the shooting, but authorities later confirmed during a press conference that at least five people had been 'senselessly murdered'.
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Zephen Xaver has been identified by police as the 21-year-old gunman who allegedly opened fire inside a Florida bank on Wednesday afternoon, killing five people
Officers responded to the SunTrust Bank branch in Sebring around 12.36pm after the suspected gunman allegedly called 911 and reported that he had fired shots inside the bank, according to the Sebring Police Department
Blurry video showed Xaver being perp-walked through the parking lot after he surrendered
The identities of the victims have not been released pending notification of next of kin.
It's unclear if those killed consists of bank employees or customers inside the bank during the incident.
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Sebring police and deputies from the Highlands County Sheriff's Office responded to the scene and established a perimeter.
The large police presence was recorded in video from witnesses and local news helicopters.
'After negotiations to try to get the barricaded subject to exit the bank were not successful, the HCSO SWAT team entered the bank and continued the negotiations,' the Sebring police said.
'The suspect eventually surrendered to the HCSO SWAT team.'
The Sebring Police Department said on Facebook that officers responded to the bank located at 1901 US 27 South around 12.36pm
Authorities said the suspect had called dispatch to report that he had fired shots inside the bank
Officials confirmed that there were multiple injuries, but it's unclear how man people were shot in the incident. Police didn't release information regarding the conditions of those injured
'We are sorry to learn that we have at least five victims, people who were senselessly murdered as a result of his act in this bank,' Sebring Police Chief Karl Hoglund said at a press conference Wednesday evening.
'This has been a tragic day for our community. We’ve suffered a significant loss at the hands of a senseless criminal doing a senseless crime.
'We ask that you please keep them in your prayers, keep them in your thoughts,' he said if the victims' loved ones.
'Help Sebring and our community stay strong.'
The sheriff's office asked co-workers and family members of anyone who was inside the bank during the shooting should gather at the Inn on the Lakes on Gulfview Road.
Gov Ron DeSantis traveled to Highlands County to attend the police press conference on Wednesday afternoon.
'Obviously this is an individual that needs to face very swift and exacting justice,' he said of Xaver.
No motive has been revealed.
Florida Gov Ron DeSantis (center) spoke alongside Sebring law enforcement at a press conference on Wednesday night. He said of Xaver: 'Obviously this is an individual that needs to face very swift and exacting justice'
Sebring Police Chief Karl Hoglund hangs his head with sadness during the news conference. 'We ask that you please keep them in your prayers, keep them in your thoughts,' Chief Hoglund said of the victims' families. 'Help Sebring and our community stay strong'
