“I Thought We Were Going to Get Shot”: Cape Coral woman recalls violent home invasion

CAPE CORAL, Fla. (WINK) —A Cape Coral woman says she is still shaken after watching two men force their way into her home and brutally beat her roommate during a violent home invasion Thursday morning.

According to the Cape Coral Police Department, officers arrested Palmer Aikens and Steven Ryan after the attack at a home on Northwest 27th Avenue.

Priscilla Ponterio told WINK News Anchor Claire Galt she woke up around 8 a.m. to banging on her bedroom door. When she ran out, she said she saw two men attacking her roommate.

“Two guys in a hoodie just pistol-whipping him with the pistol,” Ponterio said. 

Ponterio said the intruders repeatedly demanded money while assaulting the victim.

“Give me the money. Oh, where’s the money? Where’s the money?” she recalled hearing.

She said she froze in fear, trying not to make eye contact while comforting another roommate nearby.

“There was a time when I thought Kelly and I were both going to get shot because of the stray bullet going to be fired,” Ponterio said.

Ponterio told WINK News the terrifying ordeal happened quickly but felt endless as the roommates waited for the men to leave.

Eventually, she said the victim saw an opportunity to escape.

“They had him sitting on the floor, and then he kind of edged his way to the door,” she said. “They told him, ‘Don’t move, don’t move,’ and then somehow they got up and got into the kitchen, and he was edging toward the door. He made it out the door and ran. They ran out the garage and took off.”

Cape Coral Police Public Information Officer Mercedes Simonds said officers were able to quickly identify the suspects because the victim recognized one of them.

“The guy said that he knew Palmer,” Simonds said. “They’re able to go in and search based on the alias of Palmer and find whoever it might be and who they also might be associated with.”

Police said technology helped officers track the suspects down as they drove along Viscaya Parkway.

Ponterio said knowing the men were arrested brings some comfort, but the trauma remains.

“I’ve never lived through anything like that before,” she said.

About an hour after speaking with Ponterio, WINK News spoke briefly with the man who was beaten. He said he could not discuss details because the investigation is ongoing, but confirmed he knew the men accused in the attack. He said he is recovering and suffered bruises.