Suspect identifed in Bonita Springs shooting

Published: Updated:

BONITA SPRINGS, Fla. – The Lee County Sheriff’s Office is identifying the suspect injured in an officer-involved shooting that happened Wednesday night.

The Sheriff’s Office says George Larson was armed and asked to come out of the home. Deputies say he was shot and transported to the hospital. He was being detained by deputies on Thursday.

Neighbors are also giving WINK News a better idea of what may have happened inside the home the night of the shooting on Red Hibiscus Drive. They say that a woman was calling for help.

“She called another neighbor from down the street and said she was in the bathroom, barricaded,” said Ed Gonzalez.

Neighbors say the woman is safe. “We talked with one of the deputies and they said she is ‘okay’ and was taken out,” explained Gonzalez.

Gonzalez says he and his wife were one of dozens who had to evacuate their homes late Wednesday. They say gun shots ran out around 11:30 p.m. Then, it went quite before more shots rang out.

“Then, we start seeing officers come through with shot guns and rifles,” said Gonzalez. He says he heard deputies talking to a man inside the home.

“I heard the officer going ‘put the gun down and come out with your hands up,'” said Gonzalez. “They kept repeating that.”

A short time after, Gonzalez and others had to evacuate their homes; it’s then they heard more gunfire. “That is when all the real shooting started. We ducked behind their cars because we didn’t know where it was coming or going.”

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office is still investigating.

“These are our neighbors,” said Gonzalez. “We are shocked and sad about the whole thing.”

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