Gulfstream Isle residents wary of recent crime
FORT MYERS, Fla. - This recent spate of violence in Fort Myers has Gulfstream Isle Apartment residents on edge. Many afraid to speak for fear of retaliation or being kicked out of the complex.
Three deaths in two days at the same apartment complex , Gulfstream Isles, has some residents thinking twice about their neighborhood.
"Just that it was so close to my girls, that bothers me," said Sara Napoleon, whose lived at the complex for two years. "I have two daughters."
Neighbor Michael Cuttillo agrees, "A murder investigation happening so close. I got a seven-year- old daughter who comes over on the weekends," Cuttillo has lived there for nearly three years.
On Monday, Shirley Zirna, 28, was found dead inside unit 5249, in apartment number seven. Her cause of death is still not known. Autopsy results are pending. Then, early Tuesday morning, police respond to a double homicide. Cha'riah Owens, 16, and her boyfriend, Jerret Brown, 23, were shot to death. All while Owen's three-year-old cousin slept in the back seat.
Management wouldn't go on-camera. But they' re handing out a note to residents saying cooperating with police and safety is a priority.
"It's scary, definitely scary," said Laurie Woodworth, who works the graveyard shift at Taco Bell.
Woodworth says she's now more vigilant walking home late at night.
"Now it's just kind of more stand your ground a little bit," said Woodworth. "Make sure you're more aware of what's going on around you."
Others like Aly Napoleon moved here from Queens. He didn't expect a rash of violence in Fort Myers.
"From New York, I would expect these kinda things to occur," said Napoleon. "You know, I would expect to have these kind of conversations with my daughter maybe at two, three-years-old." While demonstrating Napoleon goes on, "You know, you hear this, duck and I'll let you know when you come up."
To Napoleon, there's only one way out.
"After everything that's going on, my state of mind is basically moving," said Napoleon. "You want to move?" asked Fox 4 reporter Gabrielle Sarann. "Yeah, definitely."
Police are still looking for suspects in the double homicide at Gulfstream Isles. If you have any information that would help police, call Crimestoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS.
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