Cape police shoot, kill, armed shooting spree suspect
Three people are dead and three are being treated for injuries after a gunman shot three people before being shot and killed by police Sunday night.
The multi-location incident began at about 5:45 p.m. in the 2600 block of Skyline Boulevard when a gunman shot and killed a motorcyclist, said police spokesperson Det. Sgt. Dana Coston at a press conference called in the wake of shootings.
Less than an hour later, at 6:28, the same person shot two people, one fatally, at the Circle K at Chiquita and Cape Coral Parkway, then fled, Coston said.
Within four minutes, responding officers encountered the vehicle at the intersection of Skyline Boulevard and the parkway. The car was stopped near the 5100 block of Skyline and the suspect, who officials say was still armed, “violently resisted” and was shot dead by police.
Two passengers in the car were injured. They were transported to the hospital were they were being treated Sunday night, Coston said.
No officers were hurt.
It is still early in the investigation and no other details could be released, Coston said, including the names or ages of those deceased or those injured, the type of gun or guns used by the shooter, or how many officers were involved in the takedown.
“All of that is going to be part of the ongoing investigation,” he said.
Coston was able to confirm that the three incidents were related as the suspect was present at all three locations but added police are still investigating how they were linked, a process expected to continue through the night and into Monday.
He praised police personnel, saying an active shooting “is an all hands on deck” situation where every officer available responds as quickly as possible.
Despite the “very tragic set of circumstances,” responding personnel were able to contain the situation just a mile from the second shooting scene, preventing possible additional violence, Coston said.
“They were fortunately in the right place at the right time,” he said.
Additional information will be released as it become available.