Death investigation underway after shooting at Bokeelia pier

Reporter: Maddie Herron Writer: Elyssa Morataya
Published: Updated:

An afternoon of fishing turned deadly, and now a death investigation is underway after a truck drove onto a Bokeelia pier and a shot rang out.

The incident occurred near Capt’n Con’s Fishhouse in Bokeelia shortly after 3 p.m. Wednesday.

Witnesses said it all started with a pickup truck driving onto the pier and ramming into a shed and then a golf cart.

WINK News viewer Joe the Mover sent us a video of the incident.

The Toyota Tundra inched towards the end of the pier, where children and adults were fishing on the other side of the golf cart.

The truck somehow managed to get through a white iron fence, leaving it a mangled ruin.

People screamed to hit the deck as the truck crashed into the golf cart. Tires screeching, the driver rolled the truck into the golf cart.

The sound of burning rubber only stopped after a shot rang out.

The driver of the truck was killed, said the Lee County Sheriff’s Office in a statement, but a medical examiner has yet to determine a cause of death. However, witnesses said he was shot and killed by a witness.

WINK News reporter Maddie Heron spoke to a man who was fishing on the pier.

Credit: WINK News

He watched the entire thing unfold and said that the golf cart saved both his life and the children he helped protect on the pier.

“We were baffled. I was like, there’s never cops out here, so we came out to check it out, and it was crazier than I thought it would be,” said Aidan Sivore.

Many locals, like cousins Aidan and Max Sivore, were shocked to see the pier, their so-called piece of paradise, the focus of such a chaotic scene.

“I hope everyone can move past this. It’s a great spot for the island to gather and watch the sunsets. I mean, it’s probably my favorite spot out here, so I hope everyone can move past this,” said one of the cousins.

Hopeful that the tightly-knit Bokeelia community can move forward from this deadly day on the pier.

Credit: WINK News

Many questions remain as LCSO continues to investigate what drove someone to barrel down a Bokeelia pier full of kids fishing.

From the witnesses WINK News spoke to, it sounds like other people involved suffered only minor injuries.

LCSO said the investigation remains active, and all people involved are accounted for.

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