Which stories made the list? Our most clicked-on articles of 2016

Published:
Edward Strother, 53, attacks Lee County Sheriff’s Office Deputy First Class Dean Bardes (Photo via Lee County Sheriff’s Office).

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Breaking news dominated Southwest Florida’s 2016 news cycle.

From assaults on law enforcement to a mass shooting and severe weather, more people visited winknews.com this year than ever before to read the latest details.

And for that, we thank you.

Below are our most clicked-on stories of 2016:

5) Officer shot

Sanibel police officer Jarred Ciccone was shot in the shoulder during a traffic stop in November. The attack was the fourth on a Southwest Florida law enforcement officer within the previous two weeks. Jon Webster Hay, 49, is charged with shooting Ciccone while driving by the traffic stop, then engaging in a firefight with officers.

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4) Exploding e-cigarette

An Englewood man lost eight teeth and had his jaw wired shut after an e-cigarette exploded in his face in January. Chris Thompson described the incident as a “mini grenade going off in my hand, right next to my face.”

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3) Cape Coral tornado

Homes were destroyed, vehicles were damaged and garages collapsed after an EF2 tornado – with winds from 111 to 135 mph – ripped through Cape Coral in January. No deaths or serious injuries were reported.

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2) Club Blu

The world turned its attention to Fort Myers after two people were killed and nearly two dozen others injured after shots were fired following a teen party at Club Blu in July. Stef’an Strawder, an 18-year-old star basketball player at Lehigh Senior High School, and 14-year-old Sean Archilles, a student at Royal Palm Exceptional School, were killed. The shooter remains at large.

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1) Deputy assault

A vehicle pursuit nearly turned deadly for a Lee County Sheriff’s Office deputy in November. Deputy First Class Dean Bardes was engaged in a physical altercation with Edward Strother, 53, following a pursuit on Interstate 75 that ended at the Corkscrew Road exit. An unidentified passerby shot and killed Strother.

Related stories:

Honorable mentions:

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