A tense hostage standoff at a Mercantile Bank in Michigan ended in a dramatic and deadly confrontation Friday after police used an unusual tactic: delivering Faygo soda by drone.
The incident began around 5:30 p.m. when Quinton Marquese Allen, 31, entered the State Street branch in Saginaw Township armed with an unspecified weapon, but not a gun, and took an employee hostage, triggering a multi-hour standoff.
In an attempt to get Allen out of the bank, police deployed a drone carrying a bag containing a 24-ounce red Faygo soda can for him.
When Allen moved into view through the building’s glass, a state trooper shot and killed him.
Allen never got hold of the bag, police said.
After Allen was shot, the hostage emerged from the bank and asked for help. The victim was injured and taken to hospital for treatment but later released.
The bank remains closed until further notice, but thanked authorities on Facebook for their “swift and professional” response.
