Sarasota officer-involved shooting: Bank robbery suspect confirmed dead
SARASOTA, Fla. - An accused bank robber died during an officer-involved shooting in Sarasota on Monday, according to officials.
Sarasota County deputies went to the Fifth Third Bank on Saturday to investigate reports of a bank robbery.
Bank tellers told investigators the robber tapped a handgun on the counter and demanded money. A teller said he gave the suspect more than $17,000 before the man took off toward University Parkway.
The next day, a woman told investigators that her ex-boyfriend, William Michael Pickett, gave her money from a bank robbery. She added that Pickett made comments about wanting to rob a bank a few weeks ago.
According to an affidavit, the woman met with Pickett at a Super 8 Motel, and he confessed to robbing a bank. She said she saw he had a plastic bag filled with cash inside the hotel room and left shortly after his confession.
Pictured: Suspected bank robber. Image is courtesy of the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office.
The next day, an affidavit states Pickett went to the woman’s home and tried to hide money throughout her apartment. After Pickett left, the woman said she found cash hidden in a cereal box, a box of tissues, and a bleach wipes container. She told detectives that Pickett does not work and does not have any means of income.
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Deputies say she identified Pickett as the man seen on bank surveillance video, and he was charged with robbery with a firearm and grand theft of $10K and less than $20K.
Shortly before 8 a.m. on Monday, Sarasota police tried to pull over Pickett near US 41 and University Parkway because he had a warrant out of Sarasota County.
Law enforcement officers at scene of officer-involved shooting in Sarasota.
Few details surrounding the traffic stop have been released, but police say an officer-involved shooting occurred while they were trying to arrest Pickett and that he is dead.
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On Monday, SWAT team members focused their attention on a pond with a submerged Cadillac that had a live cat inside.
Once the car was pulled from the water, more than a dozen gunshot holes in the windshield were marked with stickers.
There were more than a dozen bullet holes in the suspect's windshield.
According to the Sarasota Police Department, several agencies helped on Monday, including the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office, Sarasota County Fire Rescue, New College Police, Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport Police, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE).
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The law enforcement officers who were involved are on administrative leave, which is the policy for any officer-involved shooting, according to police.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating.
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