Visitors to Fort Myers Beach raising safety concerns after a woman reported being raped on the beach after leaving a popular resort.
The woman told detectives she left the Lani Kai Island Resort with a man she met at the bar on Friday night who she claims later raped her.
The woman reportedly left the resort and began walking on the beach with the unidentified man. She says the man then called over a second male who joined in on the attack.
UPDATE: Sexual assault accusation on Fort Myers Beach withdrawn
Data from the Lee County Sheriff’s office shows deputies have received 148 calls of service from the Lana Kai Resort on Fort Myers Beach since the start of this year. Four in Your Corner discovered that at least 5 of those calls resulted in deputies responding to the resort for issues ranging from burglary to battery.
The resort is one of the more popular places on Fort Myers Beach to hang out and grab a drink.
"We've been in there before, but not on the bar scene, said Lisa Snyder, a frequent beachgoer. She and her friend prefer a more mellow crowd, so they avoid certain parts of the Island.
"It freaks me out to walk back here at night,” said Lisa Snyder. “We go down to Times Square.”
Safety is a concern for them at night along Estero Blvd especially after they heard about the incident of a woman allegedly getting raped.
Back on Memorial Day a shooting broke out on Estero Blvd near the Lani Kai. Two men were injured in the incident.
A spokesperson for the Lani Kai told Four In Your Corner there are safety protocols in place including on site security personnel and cameras. Management says the resort is a family-friendly destination and their priority is maintaining a safe environment on the resort property.
However, some beach goers believe the Lani Kai’s property managers should do more to keep the immediate surrounding area safe as well.
“They really need to have security out here and on the beach when people leave," said Lisa Snyder.
