Bank robbery in downtown Miami briefly turns into a hostage situation, police say
Miami police officers responding to reports of a bank robbery briefly had a hostage situation on their hands Friday afternoon, the department said.
Officers initially arrived at the Bank of America branch at 150 W. Flagler St. in downtown Miami around 12:30 p.m. after receiving reports that someone in the bank was being assaulted, said Miami police spokesman Officer Michael Vega.
But when they got there, witnesses said it was a robbery. An officer ran inside the building and saw a man with his arm around a woman’s neck, Vega said.
“Officers began a dialog with the suspect and convinced him to let go of the female and he did,” Vega said.
Officers arrested him “without further incident,” Vega said.
The FBI, which took over the investigation, identified the man Monday morning as 47-year-old Arnold Bell, who lives in Miami.
He is in federal custody, and it is “anticipated that he will have his initial appearance in Miami federal court,” FBI Special Agent Michael Leverock said in a statement.
The FBI, nor Miami police, have said whether Bell was armed during the incident.
“Because this is an ongoing investigation, no further information will be released at this time,” Leverock said.
This story was originally published July 14, 2023 at 4:29 PM.
