Bonita Springs standoff ends with arrest after woman barricades herself in home

BONITA SPRINGS, Fla. —

An investigation that began Saturday afternoon continued into Sunday as the Lee County Sheriff's Office blocked off a home on Imperial River Road and Springs Lane with crime scene tape after Ciara Marie Smith left a concerning note at a local pizzeria and later barricaded herself in her home.

Cal Ensing, a witness, said, "We pulled into the Lenny's Pizza and there were two police cars there, and they were just taking the initial report. One of the employees told us that a woman came in and left a message to one of the workers."

The situation escalated when deputies responded to Smith's home. Ensing added, "There were two cars when we initially came in there, and when we left, there were 28 police cars."

While some neighbors were evacuated, others, like Jill Mesner, found themselves unable to leave.

"When I walked out to the driveway, there were already officers behind their car with guns drawn in there, waving me inside like, go back inside. I was like, oh my gosh. So I did kind of I hovered around here and then they saw me through the bushes. So then they put on the megaphone. All residents get inside. Lock your doors and windows," Mesner said.

The Lee County Sheriff's Office reported that when they attempted to make contact with Smith, she pointed a gun at two deputies, prompting one deputy to fire his weapon. Smith then barricaded herself inside the home, leading to the arrival of the LCSO's Special Operations Unit and a crisis negotiation team.

Investigators were seen entering and exiting the house throughout the morning. Tear gas canisters were found on the ground, along with an evidence marker labeled with the number 17.

After several hours, authorities managed to get Smith out of the house. She attempted to flee but was taken into custody by deputies.

Neighbor Aynsleigh Batty expressed her concern, saying, "I can't believe it's still happening. I feel really bad for everyone involved, and I just hope she gets help and that this gets resolved further."

Smith has long arrest history, with charges of drug possession, grand theft, domestic violence, and burglary.

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