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21-year-old kills at least 5 people in Florida bank shooting

Zephen Xaver was arrested in Sebring.

By Ray Roa on Thu, Jan 24, 2019 at 10:28 am

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Highlands County Sheriff's Office

Zephen Xaver, who killed five people in a Sebring, Florida shooting on January 23, 2019.

The Sebring Police Department said that it arrested 21-year-old Zephen Xaver on Wednesday after a standoff with SWAT teams.

Officials say that at least five people were killed when Xaver fired shots into a SunTrust in Sebring, Florida just after 12:30 p.m. The victims have not been identified, and just five people were reportedly in the bank at the time of the shooting.

Xaver called 911 and reported that he had fired shots inside the bank, according to investigators who have not determined his motive. Police also said that Xaver barricaded himself inside the bank before SWAT destroyed the front entrance and went inside to negotiate with him.

"This is a terrible day for Sebring, Highlands County and for the state of Florida," Governor Ron DeSantis said. "This is an individual who needs to face very swift and exacting justice."

Wonder if the governor will follow up with anything about better gun control.

About The Author

Ray Roa

Read his 2016 intro letter and disclosures from 2022 and 2021. Ray Roa started freelancing for Creative Loafing Tampa in January 2011 and was hired as music editor in August 2016. He became Editor-In-Chief in August 2019. Past work can be seen at Suburban Apologist, Tampa Bay Times, Consequence of Sound and The...