SAO: FMPD ‘justified’ in shooting Christopher Jordan

The state attorney’s office says a Fort Myers police officer who shot and killed a man who was believed to have had gun during a confrontation with police was “justified in deadly force.”

Fort Myers police said they did not find a gun on Christopher Jordan after shooting him dead on Dec. 1, 2023.

However, state attorney Amira Fox said the shooting was justified despite the fact no one found a gun because the officer believed he and others were at risk.

On the night of the shooting, Jordan’s sister Cynthia Jordan called 911, saying her brother was threatening her with a firearm.

Fort Myers police responded and cleared everyone away from the home, and for 40 minutes or so tried to convince the brother to give himself up. He refused.

The investigation — relying on bodycam video and witness statements — revealed that two witnesses and a detective on scene — saw Christopher Jordan moving around in a bedroom and saw a gun.

Then, according to Fox, detective James Marcella confirmed the gun and fired.

“Detective Marcella stated, ‘I got one hand, gun,” said Fox. “Detective Marcella then fired one round from his rifle. The round struck Christopher Jordan in the chest.”

The state attorney also said that nobody else is being charged.

We have yet to hear from FMPD on the state attorney’s decision, but Mayor Kevin Anderson said, “What a lot of people don’t understand is that every time a police officer makes that decision to use deadly force, there are hundreds of times when the decision was made not to use deadly force.”

The NAACP, however, did have something to say right after the SAO’s announcement.

“This is a nation of laws,” said James Muwakkil, president of the Lee County NAACP. “That’s what governs us in our everyday lives we depend on. Justice is for everyone. It’s for people that you like, people who are a different race, speak a different language, different religion, different gender. It’s for everyone, even a 58-year-old, mentally ill drug user, petty thief. It’s for him too.”

Fox said Jordan’s sister had lied to police about the gun.

“These allegations instructed law enforcement on how to proceed,” she said.

That did not fly with Muwakkil.

“So this state attorney is saying that it doesn’t matter that they lied?” said Muwakkil. “Are you kidding me? Are you kidding me?”

The State attorney said complicating matters was the report by police that Jordan was playing a recording of gunfire.

Citing an officer, she said, “Christopher Jordan was playing sounds of automatic rifle fire and making statements to shoot him.”

Forty-eight minutes after the call to 911, Moschella fired the fatal shot to Jordan’s chest.

Angelo Ruth, Jordan’s brother, said the fight for justice for his brother is not over, in fact, he said he’s just getting started.

“It’s sad for my brother to go out like that. It’s a sad day,” he said.

He said they are not giving up fighting for justice for his brother.

Ruth, along with the NAACP has put their faith in the Department of Justice. In the meantime, they plan to protest in front of the state attorney’s office next week.