Prosecutor seeking death penalty in bank massacre case

Published February 08, 2019

FILE - This Jan. 23, 2019 file, booking photo released by the Highlands County Sheriff's Office shows Zephen Xaver. Prosecutor Brian Haas said Friday, Feb. 8, 2019, he plans to seek the death penalty for Xaver, arrested in the fatal shootings of five women at a Florida bank last month. (Highlands County Sheriff's Office via AP)

A prosecutor says he plans to seek the death penalty for a man arrested in the fatal shootings of five women at a Florida bank last month.

State Attorney Brian Haas said at a news conference Friday that he had reached the "unquestionable conclusion" that he should seek the death penalty against 21-year-old Zephen Xaver.

Haas also said a grand jury in Highlands County, Florida, this week had indicted Xaver on five counts of first-degree murder. Xaver will be arraigned later this month.

Four employees and a customer at the SunTrust bank were killed last month.

Sebring Police officials say the women were shot in an apparently random act of violence.

Hass on Friday didn't offer any further details on what motivated the suspect.

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