The father of the man accused of shooting a Fort Myers Police Officer Saturday night says despite his son’s mental health issues, he doesn’t think he’s capable of doing something like this.
Fort Myers Police Chief Derrick Diggs identified the suspect as 29-year-old Wisner Desmaret. He’s recovering from non-life-threatening injuries at Lee Memorial Hospital — the same hospital where Officer Jobbers-Miller is fighting for his life.
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Fort Myers Police said at 7:16 Saturday night, officers were called to the Marathon gas station on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard. The caller said a man — later identified as Desmaret — assaulted a group of young men and took off. Police found Desmaret nearby three minutes later.
“Wisner Desmaret fled from our officers, and Officer Jobbers-Miller was shot and injured while he was attempting to take Mr. Desmaret into custody after this brief foot chase,” Chief Diggs said.
He said Desmaret ran back to the Marathon gas station.
“He was taken into custody during an officer-involved shooting outside the business by additional responding officers,” he said.
Once Desmaret has recovered from his injuries, Chief Diggs said he’ll be charged with at least eight felonies, with Attempted First Degree Murder the most serious.
His dad, John Desmaret, said he doesn’t believe his son could do something like this.
“There is no way. There is no way. I know my son. He never had guns. He doesn’t know how to use a gun. Never. Never. Because he uses his bare hands, because he is a boxer. Anything he does to defend himself, he’s going to use his bare hands, but he’s not going to use anything,” he said.
Yet records show Desmaret has been booked into the Lee County Jail eleven times since 2010. The charges he’s faced range from burglaries, to drug charges, to Grand Theft of a Firearm.
Just two days before Desmaret is accused of shooting Officer Jobbers-Miller, he was released from the Sarasota County Jail. He was in custody for Cocaine Possession and Carrying a Concealed Weapon without a Permit related to a case in 2016. The conditions of his release included notifying Sarasota County if he planned to leave.
“He went to visit his mom because his mom lives in Fort Myers,” his dad said.
Another condition of his release from jail was being in full compliance with taking his medications. His father said he was taking medication for mental health problems he’s had since he was little.
“When you’ve got a son who goes through all these troubles, as parents it can be like, nothing you can do about it because nobody wants to see the family in trouble like that,” John Desmaret said.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the officer-involved shooting, which is standard protocol.
Fort Myers Police are continuing the criminal investigation into Desmaret. They’re asking anyone who witnessed what happened or has a video of what happened to come forward. They’re also asking to speak with anyone who’s had recent contact with Desmaret.
