Florida Bank Robbery: Suspect Surrenders, 11 Hostages Safe

A robbery at the Community First Credit Union in Jacksonville, Florida took a turn for the worse when the suspect took 11 victims hostage, in a negotiation that spanned hours Thursday morning.According to Fox News, sheriff's investigators received calls that at least two shots had been fired at the bank during the tense standoff.

Community First Credit Union - Bank robbery suspect/hostage taker is in police custody. #JAX #Jacksonville

— Jax Sheriff's Office (@JSOPIO) December 1, 2016

After several hours, aerial coverage of the building showed the 11 victims slowly exiting the bank. It is unclear if any of the hostages were hurt in the process. The suspect was taken into custody by the Jacksonville Police, but the person has not currently been named by authorities.

SWAT teams were on the scene as hostage negotiations took place. They ultimately used a battering ram to break down the door and apprehend the suspect.

Police load up some of the heavy equipment brought in for hostage situation. pic.twitter.com/1FzLpjUbq2

— Julia Jenaé (@JuliaJenaeFCN) December 1, 2016

Latasha Sherman, whose son worked at the bank, said that he'd never had problems there beforehand with threats or robberies. Initially, she had told reporters that two people had been shot, but this turned out to be false.Police have fully evacuated the area, and urge people to stay away from the scene while they investigate.