Suspicious device prompting condo evacuation in south Fort Myers deemed safe

A suspicious device prompted an evacuation of a condo building and law enforcement response around 7 a.m. Tuesday. The device has since been deemed safe.

According to the Lee County Sheriff’s office, they investigated what they called a “suspicious device” on an upper-level floor at The Ashland of Lakeridge condos on Lakeridge View Court in south Fort Myers.

Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno said, “A person went out of their way to put what looks a real – and could be a real device – on the fourth floor of this condo building.”

“It looks real, but we have to test it to find out if it has the ability to detonate,” Marceno added.

Bomb technicians used an X-ray machine to inspect the device to determine what they were working with and whether it posed any danger.

Deputies removed the device and took it to an off-site location to “disrupt the device” in a field, to see if it detonates. The device is now “rendered safe”, according to LCSO.

With the device disarmed and not destroyed, they hope to be able to investigate further and lift any possible fingerprints.

It has not been determined to be a real or active device.

The neighboring building was also temporarily evacuated during the investigation.

Carmine said a person went out of their way to place the device, adding, “Someone will go to jail for what they did.”

The sheriff’s office has not said whether that have any suspects at this time.