OKC Bank Robbery Suspect Arrested After Hotel Standoff

<p>A bank robbery suspect is in custody after barricading himself for hours Saturday in a hotel near Interstate 40 and Meridian, police said.&nbsp;</p>

Saturday, December 31st 2016, 1:03 pm

By: News 9


A standoff lasting five hours Saturday ended in the arrest of a bank robbery suspect at the Biltmore Hotel in southwest Oklahoma City.

The situation started just before noon, when a man walked into the Midfirst Bank on N May Avenue demanding cash from a teller.

“I believe he produced a note. We don’t know if he actually made it away with any money,” Oklahoma City police officer Jeff Dutton said.

Witnesses described the getaway car as a blue vehicle, which police quickly found, launching a high-speed chase.

“Officers tried to stop that vehicle,” said Dutton. “The pursuit ended up on I-40, where a lot of wrecks did occur from the suspect.”

The car eventually caught fire near the Meridian Avenue exit of Interstate 40. Police flying overhead in a helicopter saw the man run into the Biltmore Hotel.

Officers surrounded the entire hotel, but quickly narrowed down the suspect's location.

“The back several buildings are actually completely vacant. They don’t have anybody in there whatsoever and they’re actually renovating them right now,” Dutton said.

Police said the tactical team did a sweep of the area to make sure no one else was inside or in danger. They spent the next five hours planning their approach.

Meantime FBI agents responded to the bank to learn more about the attempted robbery, and police arrested and questioned another man who they believe is connected to their main suspect.

Just after 5 p.m., Dutton says officers decided to enter the room where they thought the suspect was hiding, but it was empty. They then went door-to-door until he surrendered without incident.

The identity of the suspect has yet to be released. Charges will be officially filed next week.

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