Dunbar murder capital of SW Florida?

15 murders this year in Ft Myers, most are in Dunbar

CREATED Jul. 6, 2012 - UPDATED: Jul. 6, 2012

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  • Fort Myers detectives are combing the area and looking for clues in the city’s latest murder but they are having a hard time getting witnesses to come forward. Four in your Corner's Mike Mason talking with those in the community tonight and many sa Video by fox4now.com

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FORT MYERS, Fla. - Fort Myers detectives are combing the area and looking for clues in the city’s latest murder but they are having a hard time getting witnesses to come forward. Four in your Corner's Mike Mason talking with those in the community tonight and many say they're too afraid to go to the police.

People we spoke with today say Dunbar is becoming the murder capital of Southwest Florida and they have some advice to police about what needs to be done to change that.

Keyanta Gary: "I'm talking about getting out of Fort Myers.”
Mike Mason: "You want to leave Fort Myers?”
Keyanta Gary: "Mm Hmm."

Keyanta Gary has had enough of the violence and wants to get out. She recently moved to this section of Dunbar because it was right across from the park and felt it would be great for her kids. But that's right where 50-year old Tyrone Williams was shot and killed Thursday night.

Keyanta Gary: "I heard some popping sounds, I turned around it looked like the guy was holding fireworks popping them or whatever and I kept going and then I came back home and there was a body there so evidently he wasn't holding fireworks he was shooting somebody at that time."

Charles Henry lives a block away from the murder scene, that's where he sells his smoked barbecue. He once worked as a Lee County Sheriff's deputy and retired 30 years ago. He says back then deputies worked hand in hand with police.

Charles Henry: "I don't know if the two powers don't want to work together or what but we need more patrolling in the area and we need it from both departments."

Henry says years ago deputies constantly patrolled the streets of Fort Myers but not anymore. He wonders why the Chief doesn't ask the Sheriff for more help.

Charles Henry: "You don't see the Sheriff's department out here or cops patrolling under no circumstances at any time.
Mike Mason: "You don't see deputies?"
Charles Henry: "No, no only city."

People we spoke with say police need to do more to reach out to folks in the Dunbar community.

Woman: "Just go out into the community and see if they can work a little more with the neighborhoods."

Jackie Gary: "So many people are dying on the streets, the cops are coming in, we don't know, the cops may be gun happy as well."

Charles Henry: "We need to focus more on some of the things going on with these drug houses and the drug activity."

Many Dunbar residents tell us they simply don't trust police. They say if officers spent time getting to know them they could establish some trust and it would ultimately help them to solve more crimes.