New downtown Fort Myers safety measures begin Friday

Reporter: Samantha Johns Writer: Paul Dolan
Published: Updated:
Downtown Fort Myers
New downtown Fort Myers safety measures begin Friday. (CREDIT: WINK News)

An all-out search for Jasmine Battle, while police said she’s responsible for a shooting in downtown Fort Myers Sunday morning.

Lee County Sheriff’s Office’s new mobile surveillance unit is located on the corner of Second Street, steps away from where that shooting happened.

City leaders are hoping it’ll bring some big changes to the late-night downtown scene.

If you go through downtown Fort Myers you’ll see the Lee County Sheriff’s Office’s new mobile surveillance unit and it will begin working Friday night.

Installed Thursday afternoon, it’s a response to the scene Sunday morning where one person was hurt in a shooting, just a few feet from where Kaylee Ryan works.

“I was just making pizzas and then cops were coming by with their lights,” Ryan said. “Down here, you don’t know what to expect.”

Jasmine Lashaye Battle

Rob Allen also works downtown, he said while he doesn’t feel unsafe the late-night scene isn’t what it used to be.

“It’s just things are just getting really out of hand,” Allen said. “And so I don’t come downtown all the time. I go somewhere else.”

The mayor and councilmembers met Thursday afternoon to discuss ways to change this uneasy feeling about security.

Staggering bar hours and putting drones in the air are just some of the proposed items.

But, the only official change right now is the mobile surveillance unit which many told WINK News already makes them feel safer.

“Knowing that there’s actually somebody walking around at all times,” Ryan said. “Actually, saw one last night, so I hope it felt pretty safe to me.”

Analysts from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office will be monitoring the video feed starting Friday night.

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