ALVA Woodpeckers build home in Alva woman’s house You may have heard of squatters, but this woman is dealing with squawkers. Who needs a rooster to wake up when you have woodpeckers?
FORT MYERS Man claims he was trapped in a high-rise for 5 days A 77-year-old man wants justice after he claims he spent days trapped on the 24th floor of a high-rise apartment building.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte Correctional prisoner arrested for death of another inmate State Attorney Amira Fox convened a grand jury, which decided to move forward with a case against a Charlotte Correctional inmate.
SANIBEL Construction near Dairy Queen eagle nest on Sanibel raises concerns While many eagle nests may be a bit difficult to see, one nest has always been a favorite for Sanibel residents and tourists.
The environmental effects of artificial sweeteners Experts are studying how the foods we eat affect the environment, especially after we flush our waste down the toilet.
Victim reacts to man exposing himself to her Ring camera You get a notification on your phone from your ring camera app that someone is at the door, only to find out it is someone exposing themselves. It’s the last thing victim Maria Kivi wanted or expected to see last week.
LEE COUNTY The art of capturing your eye and drawing you in How do you capture young, hip, trendy, fun, movers and shakers, all in a pose? We take you behind the scenes of a Gulfshore Life cover shoot.
FORT MYERS The lives of two SJC Boxers changed in the ring Two SJC Boxers, Mario Nunez and Arbon Kurtishi, help each other in the ring as each of them had their lives changed because of boxing.
FORT MYERS Chlamydia cases rising sharply in Lee County If you think about a crowded space- something with more than 250 people- if it’s in Lee county, statistically one person has chlamydia.
SANIBEL Sanibel resort day passes hope to get more business on the island A pass will allow vacationers to hang out at a Sanibel beach club for a day in hopes of drumming up some business.
Voting equipment tested ahead of Lee County elections Voting equipment is being tested in Lee County. This is to ensure all ballots are printed and counted correctly for the upcoming election.
Collier County teen assaulted after leaving party The teen has been charged and the sheriff’s office said they’re aware that many believe felony charges are in order, but under Florida law, there are very specific criteria that must be met for felony charges to be filed.
WINK weather team watching tropical wave over Atlantic Ocean The Weather Authority is watching a tropical disturbance over the Central Atlantic Ocean.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral drug bust leads investigators to fake fentanyl, cash and guns Cape Coral man arrest on drug charges. Investigators said they found, guns, drugs, and more than $32,000 in Richard Riley’s home.
NAPLES Naples youth flag football team to compete in Ohio tournament This weekend, the Naples Lunatics Green will compete in the Superhero Sports tournament in Canton, Ohio.
ALVA Woodpeckers build home in Alva woman’s house You may have heard of squatters, but this woman is dealing with squawkers. Who needs a rooster to wake up when you have woodpeckers?
FORT MYERS Man claims he was trapped in a high-rise for 5 days A 77-year-old man wants justice after he claims he spent days trapped on the 24th floor of a high-rise apartment building.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte Correctional prisoner arrested for death of another inmate State Attorney Amira Fox convened a grand jury, which decided to move forward with a case against a Charlotte Correctional inmate.
SANIBEL Construction near Dairy Queen eagle nest on Sanibel raises concerns While many eagle nests may be a bit difficult to see, one nest has always been a favorite for Sanibel residents and tourists.
The environmental effects of artificial sweeteners Experts are studying how the foods we eat affect the environment, especially after we flush our waste down the toilet.
Victim reacts to man exposing himself to her Ring camera You get a notification on your phone from your ring camera app that someone is at the door, only to find out it is someone exposing themselves. It’s the last thing victim Maria Kivi wanted or expected to see last week.
LEE COUNTY The art of capturing your eye and drawing you in How do you capture young, hip, trendy, fun, movers and shakers, all in a pose? We take you behind the scenes of a Gulfshore Life cover shoot.
FORT MYERS The lives of two SJC Boxers changed in the ring Two SJC Boxers, Mario Nunez and Arbon Kurtishi, help each other in the ring as each of them had their lives changed because of boxing.
FORT MYERS Chlamydia cases rising sharply in Lee County If you think about a crowded space- something with more than 250 people- if it’s in Lee county, statistically one person has chlamydia.
SANIBEL Sanibel resort day passes hope to get more business on the island A pass will allow vacationers to hang out at a Sanibel beach club for a day in hopes of drumming up some business.
Voting equipment tested ahead of Lee County elections Voting equipment is being tested in Lee County. This is to ensure all ballots are printed and counted correctly for the upcoming election.
Collier County teen assaulted after leaving party The teen has been charged and the sheriff’s office said they’re aware that many believe felony charges are in order, but under Florida law, there are very specific criteria that must be met for felony charges to be filed.
WINK weather team watching tropical wave over Atlantic Ocean The Weather Authority is watching a tropical disturbance over the Central Atlantic Ocean.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral drug bust leads investigators to fake fentanyl, cash and guns Cape Coral man arrest on drug charges. Investigators said they found, guns, drugs, and more than $32,000 in Richard Riley’s home.
NAPLES Naples youth flag football team to compete in Ohio tournament This weekend, the Naples Lunatics Green will compete in the Superhero Sports tournament in Canton, Ohio.
CAPE CORAL, Fla. – An officer returned to duty Thursday after he was found justified in shooting an armed man and his infant during a fatal standoff on Oct. 24. That officer, Matthew Mills, is a nine-year veteran. He shot 34-year-old Rolly Thomas and his 7-month-old child. Thomas died and the baby was hospitalized with a gunshot wound to his thigh. On Thursday, the Cape Coral Police Department and the state attorney’s office determined that Mills’ actions were justified. He was one of several officers to respond to a 9-1-1 call to 1518 NE 43 Lane on Oct. 24 around 1 a.m. According to police record, Thomas violated a restraining order the night before by dropping off a child to his previous live-in girlfriend Marsha Alexander. The couple was having issues when in June 2015 a judge permitted Alexander to stay in Thomas’ home with their children. Thomas was ordered to stay away. By Oct. 24, officers had been called to the home twice in less than 12 hours. Five children were in the home when police were called the night before. Those five children were still there when police responded to the second 9-1-1 call to the home in the early hours of Oct. 24. When officers arrived they heard arguing then one gunshot, according to police. Alexander came running out of the home with a gunshot wound to her chest, police said. While Thomas continued to fire at them, officers were able to save three children from the home, according to police. That’s when the standoff began. Rolly Thomas, 34, killed in a 2015 standoff with CCPD Officers tried to convince Thomas to surrender, but he alternated between an exchange of dialogue and bullets from his pistol and pump-action shotgun, police said. Before 1:30 a.m. Thomas appeared partially from the home’s front door and pointed his shotgun at officers, police said. That’s when Mills fatally shot him, police said. Thomas retreated back into the home, which CCPD was able to enter with the help of SWAT. Thomas was found dead inside. But also in the home were two children: one was asleep and the other was injured by a gunshot wound, police said. Both the child and Alexander were treated at the hospital and continue to recover from their injuries, police said. The state attorney’s office is calling the standoff a hostage situation since it is believed that Thomas used his children. “It is unfortunate that [the child] was also shot in the leg during this incident. Thankfully, the child survived his gunshot wound. The evidence supports the logical inference that Rolly Thomas used [the child] as a hostage,” the state attorney’s office said in a statement. CCPD Chief Dave Newlan said the situation left his officer no choice but to shoot Thomas. “The actions of Rolly Thomas on October 24, 2015 were nothing short of horrific. He went to the home that evening armed with a gun and an ax with the intent to kill. Unknown at the time, Rolly Thomas was actually holding his infant son in one arm as he shot at officers with the other,” he said in a written statement. “Make no mistake, everything that happened that night was the direct result of choices made by Rolly Thomas.” No officers were injured in the October incident.