Press Releases

Fort Myers shootings
June 20, 2009

Police officers in Fort Myers are having a hard time getting information on a string of shootings that have occurred over the last week.

Four shootings in five days – three people dead and one injured from gunshot wounds. It’s an outbreak of gun violence – one in which police say can be stopped with just a phone call.

"The people in the community don’t want this type of violence, and we don’t want it to happen either. But it’s going to take cooperation between the community and the police department to develop suspects to make an arrest," said Det .Sgt. Pete Tarman of the Fort Myers Police Department.

In the past week alone, the news of shootings has dominated the headlines. And it’s cases like these where police are reliant upon help from you. Within 24 hours of the fatal shooting of Michael James, an anonymous tip was called in to Crime Stoppers, and 20 year old Jonas Griffin was arrested for murder and armed robbery. But three other shooting suspects are still at large – and police need your help to find the triggermen responsible.

In a perfect world, we’d have police officers on every street corner, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. But the reality is that law enforcement relies heavily on the eyes and ears of the community – people who see things, and know things, that police need to put gun toting thugs behind bars.

“People know what happened, and possibly what led up to the incident, but they choose to stay out of it – a lot of times they’re scared they may become a victim if they’re seen talking to the police department," Tarman said.

The shield of anonymity that Crime Stoppers provides gives authorities hope that someone will find it in their sense of citizenship, and sympathy for those touched by tragedy, to come forward with what they know – or what they’ve heard. Anyone who calls Crime Stoppers remains completely anonymous, can make their neighborhoods safer, and receive a cash reward.

“Working with the community is what’s going to solve these crimes – and hopefully prevent other crimes from occurring," Tarman said.

So if you have information on any of last weekend’s shootings – or any unsolved crimes – we simply ask that you do the right thing, and make that anonymous phone call.

Anyone with information on last weekend’s shootings in Fort Myers is asked to call the Crime Stoppers hotline at 10800-780-TIPS (8477). All callers will remain anonymous and will be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000. Tips may also be made online at www.swflcrimestoppers.org