© Robert Alexander/Getty Images(File photo) A Wells Fargo bank in Santa Fe, New Mexico. A suspect has been arrested following an 8-hour hostage at a Wells Fargo bank branch in St. Cloud, Minnesota.
A hostage situation at a Wells Fargo bank in Minnesota is over with one man in custody and no reports of any injuries or deaths.
A stand-off lasting more than eight hours at a Wells Fargo branch in St. Cloud ended on Thursday evening after a fifth and final hostage ran free from inside the bank.
Shortly afterwards at around 10:30 p.m., the suspect-identified by the Sun Cloud Times as Ray Reco McNeary-was taken into custody after FBI agents entered the bank.
Four other hostages either ran from the building or were freed by McNeary between 6:30 p.m. and 8 p.m.
"A peaceful resolution, the best outcome we could have today," St. Cloud Police Chief Blair Anderson said at a press conference on Thursday night.
Police were first called to the Wells Fargo branch just before 2 p.m. on Thursday, shortly after the bank manager dialed 911 and pressed a panic alarm.
According to Anderson, the suspect had a "a prior dispute with the bank" before taking hostages, without specifying further.
It is unclear if the suspect was armed at the time.
Several hours into the stand-off, videos posted on Twitter showed one woman exiting the bank and heading towards SWAT team members, prompting cheers from a crowd gathered outside the bank.
A loose wad of dollar bills was then seen being tossed out of the doorway.
During the press conference, Anderson praised the partnership between police, the FBI and other law enforcement agencies after no one was injured during the incident.
"Sitting in the command post was literally like watching a symphony," Anderson said.
The St. Cloud Times reported that McNeary has past convictions for offenses such as terroristic threats, domestic assault and trespassing dating back to 2007.
He was reportedly charged with felony domestic assault on March 7 and again on March 26 over a Ramsey County warrant for terroristic threats.
McNeary was taken into custody at the Stearns County Jail pending charges of bank robbery and kidnapping.
The St.Cloud Police Department has been contacted for comment.
In a statement confirming the incident, a Well Fargo spokesperson said: "We can confirm a hostage situation at Wells Fargo's St. Cloud South branch, located at 200 33rd Avenue South.
"We are cooperating with local law enforcement and will do whatever we can to assist the authorities in their investigation. We recognize this is a traumatic moment for the community and our colleagues. The safety and security of our customers and employees is our most important priority."
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