Exclusive: New close-up look of hostage situation at Bank of America

Warning: viewers may find the content of this article disturbing.

In a WINK News exclusive, a new look inside the dramatic hostage situation at the Bank of America at Bell Tower last year.

For the first time, a Lee County SWAT team sniper and one of the hostages took WINK News anchor Chris Cifatte step by step through the ordeal.

A SWAT storm saved two bank hostages at the Bell Tower Bank of America on Feb. 6 of last year.

What seemed like an intense instant took time to set up with precision never seen before.

• READ MORE: LCSO: SWAT sniper kills man who held 2 hostages during attempted bank robbery

Inside, what initially sounded like a bank robbery quickly escalated.

“A guy just entered the Bank of America and made us all get out; he said he has a bomb,” a caller told 911.

Meanwhile, outside, Lt. Paul Nader, a Lee County SWAT sniper, prepared for action. However, the building’s mirrored glass posed a problem.

“I see an image of myself,” Nader said.

With the help of high-tech equipment, the sheriff and SWAT team got a look inside the bank, revealing hostages.

“I knew at that point, like if it came to a situation where I had to shoot a hostage, that I knew that I was going to be able to,” Nader said.

Gus Rengifo was a teller at work that morning and one of the hostages. He shared his story for the first time.

Rengifo recalled that he had a knife to his throat.

Both men walked us through the events it took to take out a man holding two hostages, claiming to have a bomb and a gun.

Getting Rengifo and the other hostage out required eyes and ears inside. Robbie the Robo-Dog played a critical role, providing crucial images.

“He got very nervous as soon as the Robo-Dog comes,” Rengifo said regarding the suspect.

With an agitated hostage-taker, Nader and the SWAT team moved into the lobby, taking aim.

“I came up on the sergeant’s shoulder and started getting a sight picture. I explained to him [that] he needs to put his hand on top of his head so I can have a good play, a stable platform,” Nader said.

Calculating the distance between them, Nader aimed two inches higher than where he wanted the bullet to be.

“And as you see in the video, I only see the crown of his head most of the time, and in order for me to be able to get a shot that’s going to end the scenario without him being able to cut somebody, I have to shoot him in a particular area,” Nader said.

“You’re starting to generate a feeling that you can do this?” Cifatte asked Nader.

“Yes, I knew I could do it. I see the Dell logo there. That’s the round in the middle of that monitor. That’s a Dell logo. I had my crosshairs right at the top of that monitor, and as soon as he goes down, squats down a little bit, that’s when I pull the trigger, and I hit him,” Nader said.

A single bullet ended the ordeal.

“I took two steps back, and I was still OK,” Nader said. “No problem. I was cool, calm and collected. I just came today to do my job.”

The female hostage, whose hair was blown back when the bullet hit just inches from her face, needed time to recover mentally but wasn’t physically hurt.

Standing side by side, Nader and Rengifo shared their stories, highlighting the importance of Rengifo’s decisions while being held hostage.

“I haven’t talked to him like this before, and hearing how he kept this hostage taker pushed over in our view, I look at him as way more of a hero than I am because he’s the one in danger. He’s the one with a knife against his throat,” Nader said.

Both heroes now work together.

After his ordeal, Rengifo left his job at Bank of America and joined the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.

“I’m very proud of him as a fellow citizen and as a human. He’s a rock star,” Nader said.

The hostage-taker, Sterling Alavache, was killed by a single sniper bullet.

Several others were in the bank at the time, but Alavache told most of them to leave, except for the two highlighted in this story.