Brinkley Hill
•9/2/2026
LEHIGH ACRES, Fla. (WINK) — Neighbors say living next to a home in Lehigh Acres has become a nightmare after a shooting Monday night and reports of more gunshots the following night.
The Lee County Sheriff's Office responded to the home Monday night when a man was shot in the leg. LCSO says he was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, and the shooting is under investigation.
Deputies returned to the same property the following night for reports of more gunshots. LCSO says they are investigating that as well. Ruben de la Cruz, who lives nearby, said he heard the shots around 3 a.m.
"Last night, about 3:00 in the morning, I heard five shots. Pop, pop, pop, pop. So I opened the window, and I said, 'Uh-oh, here we go again.' Five minutes later, the police officers showed up, about four or five police officers, but they just went back, and they left," De La Cruz said.
Neighbors say the recent incidents are just the latest in a series of problems at the property. Lee County has two nuisance code violations against the home.
Neighbors report smelling feces, burning plastic and other odors coming from the property. They also say there are often bonfires near the home and dozens of cars coming in and out each night. A generator can be heard running 24 hours a day, along with the sounds of building or car repairs.
De La Cruz said when he moved in, the property was abandoned. Over the years, more and more people have moved in. He said he's heard gunshots on the property roughly six times since moving in.
"I saw a couple of guys fighting in the back. There was a lady naked, no clothes at all, about 60 years old. She was jumping, screaming, biting him, saying I called the police," De La Cruz said. "I say, 'I got family. I got, you know, my daughter, my granddaughter, live here with me.' I say, 'Oh, just do what you have to do.' That's what the officer told me."
Several neighbors say they no longer let their children play outside. De la Cruz said he no longer uses his backyard the way he used to.
"Sometimes we sit in the back just to have some fun with the family. We're not doing that anymore because of the gunshot that we hear. You know? We're afraid that one of those shots is gonna come to my house. It's gonna hit me or somebody in my family. We are... We, we scared," de la Cruz said.
LCSO says it is investigating Monday night's shooting and the shots fired on Tuesday. Two deputies entered the property on Wednesday afternoon but left within 10 minutes.
