Man arrested following North Fort Myers family camper fire

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office arrested a man who is suspected of shooting and igniting a family camper in North Fort Myers.

Deputies arrested Elijah Czapiga, 23, after an intensive search conducted following an early Thursday morning shooting that turned arson on a family camper in North Fort Myers.

“I seen a glare off to the left and walked out my front door, walked to the backyard, and the whole backyard was on fire and my daughter’s camper. She’s lost everything. By grandson’s three years old. She’s lost everything. Clothes, shoes, everything’s gone. They have nothing. My daughter has the shirt and pants on herself, and my grandson’s wearing a pair of underwear. That’s it,” said Liz Malcolm, the trailer owner.

Their investigation led them to the area of Hancock Bridge Parkway in Cape Coral.

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office confirmed a suspect from the Bogart Drive incident is in custody.

Czapiga was later found Northeast of the area in an abandoned building.

“She says, ‘He’s here,’ I said, ‘Who,’ she said, ‘Eli,’ and I said, ‘Oh,’ I said, ‘What’s he doing,’ She said, ‘He’s back there destroying the camera, destroying everything, I have called 911,” said Malcolm. “I looked out my window of my front door. I seen a glare off to the left and walked out my front door, walked to the backyard and the whole backyard is on fire and my daughter’s camper.”

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the North Fort Myers Fire Department and State Fire Marshall are on the scene, continuing the active investigation.

Czapiga is being charged with aggravated assault with a weapon and drug possession.

Czapiga is expected to appear in court on Friday.