St. Cloud Bank Hostage Suspect Found Incompetent to Stand Trial

(KNSI) – A man accused of holding five hostages during an attempted robbery at a bank in St. Cloud has been found incompetent to stand trial.

Sherburne County Jail

Ray McNeary was arrested on May 6th after an 8 1/2 hour standoff at the Wells Fargo Bank on 33rd Avenue South. U.S. Magistrate Judge Leo Brisbois issued the ruling during a federal hearing on Wednesday. The Waite Park man remains in federal custody.

The 36-year-old is charged with one felony count in U.S. District Court. The case was moved to federal court after he was arrested in Stearns County with seven felonies connected to the incident.

One person who was held hostage during an attempted bank robbery at a Wells Fargo in St. Cloud on May 6, 2021 exits the building and is ushered away by FBI officers. (Photo by Dene Dryden)

According to the criminal complaint, McNeary went to the bank alleging fraud on his account. After the bank manager couldn’t find his account, he allegedly became enraged and demanded $60,000 from the vault be placed in a bank bag. He then allegedly threatened the hostages with a pair of scissors.

An FBI affidavit says McNeary wanted to be shot by police so he would be a martyr and his family would receive money. The hostage situation ended when the fifth and final hostage made a run for it, and police entered the building and arrested McNeary.

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