Shots fired in downtown Fort Myers has business owner concerned

Reporter: Dannielle Garcia Writer: Derrick Shaw
Published: Updated:
Fort Myers police are searching for this unknown male in relation to a shooting near Celsius Night Club in downtown Fort Myers. (CREDIT: Fort Myers Police Department)

A business owner is fed up after bullets fly outside a Southwest Florida nightclub.

And at least one council member is concerned about safety in downtown Fort Myers.

Raimond Aulen, owner of Indigo Room, said he has bullet holes in his bar because of a recent shooting nearby.

The security video shows the punches followed by gunshots.

What really stands out is no one runs when the shots were fired.

Fort Myers police are searching for the people in the surveillance footage.

Detectives say they were seen entering Celsius Night Club on Sunday night.

“Some of my kitchen staff don’t want to work late at night because of the issues that go on and I’ve lost employees over it,” Aulen said.

His employees were inside when they heard the shooting.

An employee found a shell casing lodged in the roof.

“It’s frustrating for me because this is kind of an ongoing problem with my neighbor,” Aulen said. “They constantly have fights and disturbances.”

Aulen said he is fed up with the constant issues from his neighbors.

In the last six months, there were 18 calls for service for extra patrols to the area of downtown Fort Myers where Celsius is located.

There were another 18 calls for breaches of the peace.

Fort Myers Councilman Liston Bochette, who represents that area of the city, said he is worried about everyone’s safety and security.

“The city manager and the chief and I have met as well as the fire chief,” Bochette said. “There’s codes enforcement occupancy levels, there’s ingress-egress, there’s a number of simple steps we can take.”

Aulen said he just wants Celsius to be held accountable.

“It just takes one bad apple to create a problem for everybody,” he said.

The owner of Celsius told WINK News he has been proactive with Fort Myers police.

After the shooting, Fort Myers police chases a blue pickup from the scene all the way to Lehigh Acres.

The driver crashed but got away.

Anyone with information is asked to call Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-8477.

Fort Myers police are searching for this unknown male in relation to a shooting near Celsius Night Club in downtown Fort Myers. (CREDIT: Fort Myers Police Department)

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