Woman shot in the face in Cape Coral shares her story

CAPE CORAL, Fla.- Two men are behind bars after police say they went on a road rage shooting spree through Cape Coral. A woman, who was shot in the face because of it, is telling her story to WINK News.

“I seen them holding a gun out. Like a modern warfare type gun.” Preferring to stay in the shadows, Nicole Mercado tells WINK News of her terrifying brush with a bullet.

“I was like ‘oh my god, they are shooting at us,'” she said. The mark on her face is the only sign of trauma, and she says, she is lucky.  “The officer said the bullet should of hit both of us.”

It was a big scene, filled with police, Wednesday night in a neighborhood off Diplomat Parkway. Mercado says she went with her son’s father to pick up an EBT card. That’s when his ex-girlfriend became angry, and a mob surrounded the car.

“They were trying to jump my baby daddy,” said Mercado.

She says the couple quickly left the house, but according to police, James “JJ” Clemons and Jessie Howard jumped into another car and started to chase them.

Police say at least 20 gunshots rang out, as the chase tore through neighborhoods and even knocked a mailbox off its post. Officials say Howard was the shooter and Clemons was driving the car.
“I just never thought this would happen around here,” said a neighbor.

“I hope they get what they deserve,” said Mercado. “I’m pretty much an innocent bystander, just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

She says she spent four hours at the hospital, before coming home.

The shooting put local schools and daycares on lock down Wednesday evening.