ONTARIO, Ohio — DEVELOPING– UPDATED 12:44 p.m.– A KeyBank manager and his family were held hostage overnight but are unharmed today after suspects left the manager’s home with the bank’s money.
According to a press release issued by the Richland County Sheriff’s Office, a 911 call was made to the Richland County Dispatch at 8:24 a.m. The caller said his family was held hostage while he was instructed to travel to KeyBank and take money.
According to the 911 call released by Richland County Sheriff’s Department, KeyBank’s manager Brian McConnell said he and his wife and two children were held hostage all night, since around 2 p.m. Thursday, by a white male estimated to be in his early twenties.
McConnell said the suspect apologetically wielded a .380 handgun.
“He said he would be killed if he didn’t do it,” said McConnell in the 911 call.
On Friday morning, according to McConnell, the suspect advised him to drive to KeyBank on North Lexington-Springmill to take the money. He said he then drove back to his house to hand the money over to the white suspect.
McConnell estimated the amount taken from the bank was $100,000 to $200,000.
The suspect left the McConnell residence in a tan Ford Taurus. McConnell said he did not see the driver.
They drove away in a westerly direction.
All area law enforcement were immediately alerted and Ontario police responded to the Ontario KeyBank, 688 Lexington-Springmill St., this morning before 9 a.m., along with the Richland County Sheriff’s Office. The Bureau of Criminal Investigation arrived at approx. 9:40 a.m.
The sheriff’s office reported the FBI was notified and responded to the bank, in addition to BCI, which will be processing the crime scene at the bank and at the employee’s residence.
McConnell said no one is his family was hurt during the hold-up.
Sheriff Steve Sheldon said at this time the amount of money taken is unknown and the number of suspects involved is also not known at this time.
