Fear cripples apartment as video of shooting emerges

Reporter: Corey Lazar
Published: Updated:

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Exclusive surveillance video of a Jan. 18 shooting that sent a 6-year-old to the hospital reveals more details even as potential witnesses say they won’t speak up in fear of retaliation.

The video shows a vehicle pull into a parking lot at the Landings at East Pointe Apartments on Nelson Tillis Boulevard around 10 p.m. Moments later a child runs toward a group of kids and adults. There are flashes from gunfire and the group that was once gathered in the parking lot runs toward apartment buildings.

A man who was among the group and with the 6-year-old’s mother may have been a target in the shooting, police said.

Only the young boy, Malcolm Wilcox, was hit, according to Fort Myers police.

But the impact of gun violence is hitting the apartment community hard, parents of children in the area said Wednesday.

“It hurts. It really hurts,” one neighbor said.

As the community deals with pain, many said they were too afraid to speak to police or reporters — even if they knew information that could lead to an arrest.

“Everybody knows everybody. It is a small community,” one person said. “Of course they know. Of course. Nobody is stupid.”

No arrests have been made. Neighbors said they are crippled with fear.

“Nowadays you don’t even want to go out your door,” a person said.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-8477 or the Fort Myers Police Department.

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