Witness details Port of Island Resort murder-suicide incident

Reporter: Amy Galo
Published: Updated:
Port of Island Resort

A popular resort is reeling after a murder-suicide leaves two people dead and neighbors in shock.

Collier County deputies say 64-year-old James Gamble walked into the Port of Island Resort, shot and killed an employee, and then turned the gun on himself.

“I was getting ready to go to my girlfriend’s wedding in Marco and didn’t have a fresh towel,” said Julie Adrian, a witness.

So Adrian walked out of her room on the second floor, went out into the hall, and…

“I heard yelling, and when I looked over the balcony, I saw an older gentleman, a shooter come up behind the younger gentleman,” Adrian said.

That’s when Adrian said she saw the older man, later identified as Gamble, shoot an employee.

“Point blank, three or four times. I believe in the head. It was hard to tell. It happened so quick,” Adrian said.

She watched as the victim, Zachary Michael Ludwig, fell to the ground.

“He was working at the front desk, and I saw him every day that we were there, very nice person. It’s very sad,” Adrian said.

Adrian said she quickly returned to her room, shutting the doors and blinds.

She said she wasn’t afraid. She just couldn’t believe what she had seen.

“It felt like a movie,” Adrian said.

The last thing she saw was Gamble run towards the back of the lobby, so she remained in her room for hours.

“Every time I peeked out, I could see the sheriffs at the front door with their rifles drawn,” Adrian said.

Eventually, CCSO said Gamble turned the gun on himself. She said that around 8:30 p.m., a SWAT team arrived to remove her.

“They had broken the back door of the gym or the exercise room upstairs. There was glass everywhere. I had to walk through,” she said.

WINK also talked with two former employees who didn’t want to be identified. One of the employees said Gamble used to work there but lost his management role.

As for the hotel, it’s currently open and taking reservations.

WINK has reached out to CCSO for more information.

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