Fort Myers shooting reports: Why is I-75 in Lee County closed? What we know amid large police activity
Update: The stand off on I-75 in Lee County, Florida concerned a murder suspect in St. Petersburg who was fleeing and being chased by the Highway Patrol. St. Petersburg Police Department said that the suspect is linked to a murder of a City of St. Petersburg employee committed in the city at 12pm EDT.
The suspect fled the scene in a car and was believed to be suicidal, the police said. Eventually, he barricaded himself inside his car on the I-75 near Alico, leading to the massive police standoff this afternoon. The suspect was taken to the hospital with serious injuries, but it is unclear if they are life-threatening. His current condition is not known.
The St. Petersburg city employee killed has been identified as a 47-year-old woman with four children. She was killed while she was sitting inside her work vehicle, the police said, adding that the suspect and the victim knew each other.
As of late Wednesday evening, the scene has been cleared, and there is no threat to the public. Traffic on the I-75 has now returned to normal.
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Original Story: I-75 Closed Among Shooting Reports
The I-75 in Fort Myers in Lee County, Florida was closed off due to an active investigation on Wednesday. Locals on social media are reporting a possible shooting, though officials have not confirmed.
Scanner reports suggest that there was a trooper-involved shooting that stemmed from a police chase earlier this afternoon on the I-75. But the details are yet to be confirmed by the police.
A massive police probe was underway on the I-75 with multiple local news outlets reporting that alongside the Lee County police, the Florida State Highway Patrol is at the scene.
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The exact location of the incident is near the Alico Road exit on I-75. Police have asked drivers to avoid the area as there is a large presence of officials around it.
Local news outlet Gulf Coast News is reporting, citing traffic cameras that police have closed down the southbound lanes on the I-75, causing massive traffic delays.
FDOT Southeast Florida issued an alert on X saying that all lanes on the I-75, both north and southbound, are closed.