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Man facing up to 45 years for shooting at officer in Fort Myers

Berny McClellan.jpg
Posted at 1:50 PM, Dec 16, 2019
and last updated 2019-12-16 13:50:17-05

LEE COUNTY, Fla. -- A Bonita Springs man has been found guilty of Attempted Second Degree Murder and other charges after firing at a Fort Myers Police officer in 2017.

According to the State Attorney's Office, 21-year-old Berny McClellan was found guilty by jury after 5-day trial.

McClellan was the driver of a car on July 8, 2017 that officers attempted to pull over near Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Instead, McClellan drove away from police and later crashed into another car.

An officer arrived at the crash, McClellan exited his car and began firing at the officer. The officer returned fire, striking two of the car's five occupants.

All five of the occupants began to flee the scene, but were all eventually apprehended.

Police say the crashed car the suspects had been in had multiple rifles, ammunition, and black bandanas inside. There were also items, including handguns, scattered along the path the occupants took as they fled the scene.

McClellan's sentencing is currently scheduled for December 23rd. He faces up to 45 years in prison. He still has a charge of Possession of a Firearm by a Deliquent pending from this case.