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Suspect Identified In Florida Bank Shooting That Left 5 People Dead

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Authorities identified a man in his 20s named Zephen Xaver as the suspect in custody after a bank shooting that left five people dead in Sebring, Florida, Wednesday.

“It’s been a tragic day in our community,” Sebring Police Chief Karl Hoglund said according to USA Today. “We have suffered a significant loss at the hands of a senseless criminal doing a senseless crime.”

The gunman entered SunTrust bank around noon Wednesday, forced the people inside to the floor and began shooting, police said according to USA Today. Authorities have not addressed if people in the bank were injured besides the five people who were murdered, reported the Highlands News-Sun.

In a strange twist, the suspect also called 911 and said, “I have shot five people,” around 12:30 p.m. before surrendering to law enforcement, authorities said according to ABC News. Another man, Victor Sparks, said he was headed into the bank when he realized what was going on and notified police around 12:35 p.m., according to the Highlands News-Sun.

Xaver is a resident of Sebring, a town about 90 miles south of Orlando. Police identified his age as 21, but have not identified a motive.

Media has already identified the account that appears to be Xaver’s Facebook profile. It appears Xaver rated conservative provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos’ Facebook page as five out of five stars about two years ago.

Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis took part in law enforcement’s press conference Wednesday afternoon.

“This individual needs to face very swift and exacting justice,” DeSantis said according to USA Today.

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