UPDATE: St. Cloud Wells Fargo Bank Robbery Suspect in Custody, Faces Multiple Charges Friday

Update, 10:40 a.m. Friday, May 7th:

(KNSI) – The suspect in a St. Cloud bank robbery and hostage situation will be charged by the Stearns County Attorney’s Office later today with aggravated robbery, kidnapping, and second-degree assault.

The 35-year-old male suspect was apprehended at the scene Thursday night and is currently being held in the Stearns County Jail.

The St. Cloud Police Department confirms that no one was physically injured during the incident, and a firearm was not located at the scene or on the suspect.

Original story:

(KNSI) – The tense hostage situation at the Wells Fargo Bank in St. Cloud is over.

Everything began about 1:45 p.m. Thursday when a call came in about a possible bank robbery at the Wells Fargo on 33rd Avenue South. St. Cloud Police Chief William Blair Anderson says the man was disgruntled about a prior transaction with the bank. The branch manager was concerned about the situation and the safety of those in the bank, and a short time later, someone inside hit the panic alarm, alerting police that a robbery was in progress.

Anderson says that when officers arrived, several people had already made a run for it, but five people remained inside. That set off an eight-and-a-half-hour-long standoff, with the suspect reportedly telling police to call the FBI.

Negotiators worked with the suspect, communicating with him via notes pressed up against the drive-up window.

The first hostage, a woman, was seen walking out of the bank just before 6:30 p.m. About half an hour later, a second hostage, also a woman came out. About 7:55, a male hostage came out, followed by a female a few minutes later.

Negotiators continued to work with the man, at one point, appearing to bring him pizza.

The final hostage made a break for it and ran out of the bank about 10:20, and that’s when the SWAT team moved in and arrested the suspect. He was seen being led away unharmed and in handcuffs at 10:27 p.m.

Chief Anderson said all of the hostages were unhurt but were still checked out by the FBI and medical personnel. He says, “we’re glad that none of them suffered any physical injuries, but you can [be] rest assured that they’re going to have some psychological effects. And so we actually will be reaching out to those victims here in the very near future to offer them some debriefing services.”

Anderson says police had “numerous contacts” with the suspect, who has a lengthy criminal history, including violent crimes such as domestic assault and domestic assault by strangulation. Other charges on his record include obstruction of justice and making terroristic threats.

The suspect is in the Stearns County jail awaiting formal charges. Those charges could come as soon as today.

KNSI does not typically name suspects until they have been formally charged.

Dene Dryden contributed to this report.

See video from the scene – including the release of hostages – by clicking here.

Armored vehicles positioned in the Burlington parking lot next to the Wells Fargo Bank where a hostage situation was in progress on May 6th, 2021. (Photo by Dene Dryden)

Onlookers watch as law enforcement respond to a robbery and hostage situation inside St. Cloud’s Wells Fargo Bank along 33rd Ave. on May 6, 2021. (Photo by Dene Dryden)

An officer creates a tape barrier in the St. Cloud Costco parking lot as other law enforcement officers respond to the hostage situation at the Wells Fargo bank across the street on May 6, 2021. (Photo by Dene Dryden)

A hostage leaves the building and is ushered by FBI officers during a robbery and hostage situation at the Wells Fargo Bank in St. Cloud along 33rd Ave. on May 6, 2021. (Photo by Dene Dryden)

The third of five hostages exits the Wells Fargo along 33rd Ave. S in St. Cloud as the FBI and other law enforcement negotiate with the suspect who authorities say attempted robbery and held hostages on May 6, 2021. (Photo by Dene Dryden)

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