Two people were killed and 18 others were injured in a shooting outside Club Blu in Fort Myers early Monday morning. The venue had been hosting a party for teens. 19 of the victims, ranging in age from 12 to 27 years old, were treated at area hospitals including 18-year-old Stef’An Strawder. 14-year-old Sean Archilles died on the scene.
Suspects in the shooting were arrested Monday including Derrick Church, Tajze Battle, and Demetrius O’Neal. At a press conference Monday afternoon, interim Fort Myers Police Chief Dennis Eads stressed that the shooting is not considered an act of terrorism. The tragedy marks the latest in what some residents see as a pattern of gun violence in the region. The Club Blu shooting marks the fifth such high-profile case of gun-violence in the area in the past ten months. We’ll get reaction from a variety of local officials and community leaders and explore how the public can help law enforcement with the investigation.
Guests:
Greg Adkins, Superintendent, Lee County School District
Samira Beckwith, President and CEO of Hope HealthCare Services
Chanetta Campbell Brunson, President of the James Brunson Youth Development Foundation
Allison Farnum, Reverend, Unitarian Universalist Church of Fort Myers
Randy Henderson, Mayor, City of Fort Myers
Abdul’Haq Muhammed, Executive Director and Founder of the Quality Life Center in Dunbar
William Prather, Owner of Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre and former Chair of the Lee County Democratic Party
Trish Routte, Program Coordinator for Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers
