Deputies say person injured in Coconut Point mall shooting was harassing customers
One person was injured after a shooting at Coconut Point mall on Friday evening.
The Lee County Sheriff's Office said deputies are investigating a shooting that occurred near the Total Wine store on Jan. 10.
According to LCSO, investigators learned the injured male harassed patrons at Coconut Point Mall, leading to an altercation in the parking lot.
LCSO said it would work on the case alongside its partners at the State Attorney's Office.
Raymond Hernandez says he was walking out of a store when he heard a man yelling at him "Don't look at me," before the shooting happened Friday night.
The situation escalated minutes later as he tried to leave the mall in his car.
"I look, and there he is, just sitting there. He's smoking something, and we have made eye contact. And then that's when he got super upset," Hernandez said. "He runs behind my car and he got a pretty good kick out my bumper and nothing crazy. But at that point, I'm like, this is getting ridiculous."
He called police. As Hernandez was giving dispatch a description, he says the man began kicking his car some more, then began kicking other cars.
Eventually, Hernandez left Coconut Point but then saw deputies rushing towards the shopping center.
"I had looked in at the entrance by Total Wine, and I seen tons of officers. I seen an ambulance pour in," he said. "My mom goes online, and she reads that there was a shooting at Coconut Point, and that's when I was like, 'Oh, maybe it's connected.'"
Christina Szymanski says she was parking her car to shop with her 4-year-old daughter when she heard bangs.
"I saw a guy running, and then I saw two cops run by me with their guns drawn, and then they were telling the guy to put his hands up, get down on the ground," she said. "They eventually apprehended him. I didn't know if I should go into the store or if I should get in the car and leave."
Deputies said all parties are accounted for. Stores and restaurants remained in full operation while investigations continued.
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