LCSO: Lehigh Acres shooting investigation underwayRock for Equality: SWFL non-profit hosts benefit concert for Palestine
lehigh acres LCSO: Lehigh Acres shooting investigation underway The Lee County Sheriff’s Office responded to a shooting in Lehigh Acres early Saturday morning.
Rock for Equality: SWFL non-profit hosts benefit concert for Palestine A Southwest Florida non-profit hosted a benefit concert on Friday night to help with humanitarian aid in Palestine.
Warm, breezy Saturday with a few showers possible The Weather Authority is forecasting a breezy, warm weekend in store across Southwest Florida, with the chance of a few showers, particularly on Saturday.
CAPE CORAL Active investigation underway in South Cape Coral Cape Coral police are investigating at a home on Southwest 49th Terrace in South Cape Coral early Saturday morning.
16 transported after 2 airboats crash in Collier County According to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, two airboats crashed south of U.S. 41 east between mile markers 74 and 75, leaving well over a dozen people injured.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA New bill filed: Auto shop and law enforcement must work together to solve hit-and-run crashes There could be new detectives on the block, located in your nearest auto shop. A new state bill aims at trying to stop hit-and-run drivers from getting away.
CAPE CORAL New leash on life; Cape Coral shelter dog beats cancer with drug being tested for humans A drug now being studied in human trials to kill cancerous tumors, is already approved and helping animals.
CAPE CORAL City of Cape Coral planning a new interchange with I-75 The city of Cape Coral is in the early stages of planning a new interchange with I-75, an idea that has been discussed for more than a decade.
Tracking invasive species after hurricanes Hurricanes Helene and Milton didn’t just bring wind and rain, they brought new threats to southwest Florida’s ecosystem.
PUNTA GORDA Woman in Punta Gorda shooting charged with 2nd degree murder A woman in a homicide investigation on Nasturtium Drive in Punta Gorda has been charged with 2nd-degree murder.
Lee County mother continuing fight to get children a bus stop The school district already told her she lives too close to the school to qualify for a bus route but she has not given up.
NORTH NAPLES Grant Thornton Invitational returns to Tiburon Golf Club Stars on the PGA and LPGA Tours are back in Southwest Florida for the Grant Thornton Invitational at Tiburon Golf Club.
FORT MYERS Black Flag brings classic punk energy to The Ranch in Fort Myers Legendary punk band Black Flag made their mark in Southwest Florida during the Fort Myers stop of their “First Four Years” tour.
Charlotte Technical College breaks ground on aviation facility The Charlotte County School District is flying high and keeping its “Space Academy” designation with a new aviation training facility for students.
CAPE CORAL Man arrested in connection with Cape Coral home invasion The Cape Coral Police Department has announced the arrest of one of three men suspected in a home invasion that took place earlier this month.
lehigh acres LCSO: Lehigh Acres shooting investigation underway The Lee County Sheriff’s Office responded to a shooting in Lehigh Acres early Saturday morning.
Rock for Equality: SWFL non-profit hosts benefit concert for Palestine A Southwest Florida non-profit hosted a benefit concert on Friday night to help with humanitarian aid in Palestine.
Warm, breezy Saturday with a few showers possible The Weather Authority is forecasting a breezy, warm weekend in store across Southwest Florida, with the chance of a few showers, particularly on Saturday.
CAPE CORAL Active investigation underway in South Cape Coral Cape Coral police are investigating at a home on Southwest 49th Terrace in South Cape Coral early Saturday morning.
16 transported after 2 airboats crash in Collier County According to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, two airboats crashed south of U.S. 41 east between mile markers 74 and 75, leaving well over a dozen people injured.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA New bill filed: Auto shop and law enforcement must work together to solve hit-and-run crashes There could be new detectives on the block, located in your nearest auto shop. A new state bill aims at trying to stop hit-and-run drivers from getting away.
CAPE CORAL New leash on life; Cape Coral shelter dog beats cancer with drug being tested for humans A drug now being studied in human trials to kill cancerous tumors, is already approved and helping animals.
CAPE CORAL City of Cape Coral planning a new interchange with I-75 The city of Cape Coral is in the early stages of planning a new interchange with I-75, an idea that has been discussed for more than a decade.
Tracking invasive species after hurricanes Hurricanes Helene and Milton didn’t just bring wind and rain, they brought new threats to southwest Florida’s ecosystem.
PUNTA GORDA Woman in Punta Gorda shooting charged with 2nd degree murder A woman in a homicide investigation on Nasturtium Drive in Punta Gorda has been charged with 2nd-degree murder.
Lee County mother continuing fight to get children a bus stop The school district already told her she lives too close to the school to qualify for a bus route but she has not given up.
NORTH NAPLES Grant Thornton Invitational returns to Tiburon Golf Club Stars on the PGA and LPGA Tours are back in Southwest Florida for the Grant Thornton Invitational at Tiburon Golf Club.
FORT MYERS Black Flag brings classic punk energy to The Ranch in Fort Myers Legendary punk band Black Flag made their mark in Southwest Florida during the Fort Myers stop of their “First Four Years” tour.
Charlotte Technical College breaks ground on aviation facility The Charlotte County School District is flying high and keeping its “Space Academy” designation with a new aviation training facility for students.
CAPE CORAL Man arrested in connection with Cape Coral home invasion The Cape Coral Police Department has announced the arrest of one of three men suspected in a home invasion that took place earlier this month.
The family of a 9-year-old girl with autism is considering legal action against the City of North Port after a January incident where police grabbed the girl and put her into the back of a police car. The girl’s mother, McKenna Smith, called 911 after her daughter ran away, something she has done. When the police arrived, the officer-worn body camera video shows that Smith had already located the girl. “I had no idea where she was, and at that point, they’d already dispatched you guys I have done this for 10 hours before, where I start to wait … I’ll just wait it out it’s not a big deal,” Smith said to the officers at the beginning of the encounter. The girl is seen hiding in the bushes telling officers she doesn’t want to come out. Officer Ryan Crosby is heard on the videos explaining to Smith that he doesn’t want to put the girl in custody if he doesn’t have to. “I don’t really want to do that and I don’t think it’s necessary,” he said. Officer Jonathan Valente also arrived on the scene. Ten minutes into the incident, the girl runs about 50 yards away from where they were initially standing and can be heard screaming profanities at her mother and the officers. While Smith was trying to get her daughter to calm down, the officers were discussing the option of transporting her to a hospital. Worried about what could happen next, “They are going to have to Baker Act you,” Smith warned her daughter. About twenty minutes after Crosby arrived on the scene, he’s seen leaning down and grabbing the girl by her wrist to pull her into a police car. “You can’t touch her that way, sir. She’s been abused,” Smith screamed. According to Terry Cramer, an attorney with Wilbur Smith Law in Fort Myers, the girl was abused by a babysitter, and being pulled on her wrists triggers her. The girl’s mother is now considering filing suit against the City of North Port for how the police handled the incident. The officers explained to Smith during the initial encounter that they felt they had to take the girl into custody after they saw her shoving Smith. “I understand this is a child, but once things start getting physical with another person, from the officer’s perspective, it’s time to step in,” wrote Joshua Taylor, the public information officer for the City of North Port. According to the department’s training on dealing with persons with autism, officers are supposed to talk calmly and softly and seek information from a parent on how to de-escalate the situation. The training documents also explain that if the person is unarmed and contained, they should “use all available time to allow the person to deescalate themselves without your intervention”. According to the body camera videos, it’s only ten minutes between when the girl runs from her mother and she is placed in police custody. “When you look at the totality of the circumstances you have a child that’s prone to running away or eloping, you’ve got a very busy roadway right down the road. I think it’s probably the best option to secure her to make sure she doesn’t end up more hurt from a traffic accident,” said Commander Michael Laden, who oversees internal affairs and training for North Port police. Laden, who has a daughter with autism, said he is still reviewing the videos to see if the officers violated any policy. So far, no one has been reprimanded. “I see it two ways: I see it as a father myself of a special needs kid, obviously, this wasn’t the worst-case scenario but it’s not the best-case scenario, and you see it as a police officer doing what needs to be done to make sure she stays safe,” said Laden. But attorneys for the girl’s mother see it differently. “She expects them to come and de-escalate the situation. She expects them when they get there to talk to her and help her figure out a way to get her daughter back under control not we got this drag her into a car let’s see if we need to baker act her let’s call EMS to inject her with something. Not that, for sure not that,” said Danny Garza, another attorney with Wilbur Smith law.