1 person killed in shooting at Restaurant Depot in San Carlos Park

One person was killed in a Thursday morning shooting at Restaurant Depot in San Carlos Park.

This is a homicide investigation stemming from a shooting with one person suffering fatal injuries. Additional details will be provided soon. — Carmine Marceno – Florida’s Law and Order Sheriff (@SheriffLeeFL) March 16, 2023

Customers were inside the building when they heard multiple shots from the parking lot. Witnesses said employees immediately took action, closing all access to entryways like windows and doors.

Scared for their lives, they went into hiding and called 911 to alert them a shooter was on the loose.

This was not your average Thursday at Wholesale Supplier Restaurant Depot.

“I was working on one of the aisles, and I had an employee run to me and say that someone’s shooting and go to the front of the store, and I heard a couple of bangs,” said Jasmine Armstrong, a restaurant depot employee.

Shot after shot came from right in this parking lot. Deputies responded around 11 a.m., quickly closing off all access to the building. No one was allowed in and out for hours. Employees said waiting silently to know if they were safe felt like a lifetime.

“It was tough because you don’t know if he’s, you know, just lost his mind. He’s just shooting everything, or if he’s, you know, out for one person, you just don’t know,” said Tammy Hoagland, a restaurant depot employee.

A reality Fabian Salazar was worried about. His younger brother was inside shopping for their restaurant when he heard the bangs. “Nobody believed him… but he started running away, and then he tried the hide.”

Thankfully his brother made it out safely. Salazar said it’s a scary reality he never thought would happen to someone so close to him.

“Everything is pretty crazy. I didn’t even know what’s going to happen every day,” said Salazar.

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed one person died due to this shooting. They have not shared who that person was or if deputies have someone in custody, only saying all parties are accounted for.