CAPE CORAL, Fla. (WINK)—Cape Coral police are still searching for a driver nearly a week after a road rage shooting on Hancock Bridge Parkway.
A 911 caller pleaded for help after the fight left one man with a bullet in his chin and another person with cuts from broken window glass. Police said an argument between two drivers escalated quickly before the shooter drove away after firing several rounds.
The emergency call captured the chaos after the shooting. “He was shot. He was shot. I need help. Does he need an ambulance? Yes, he needs the ambulance. He’s shot,” the caller said.
Police say the suspect remains on the run as investigators continue working the case. Neighbors, drivers, and bystanders are urged to look for surveillance, security and dash camera footage that could help identify the shooter.
Neighbor Efrain Martinez Jr. told WINK News he watched the aftermath of the shooting. He said the turned-off license plate readers at the intersection could have helped investigators.
Martinez questioned the concerns around the technology. “If you’re not doing anything wrong, what’s the problem with a license plate reader?” Martinez said.
WINK News reported in September that the Cape Coral Police Department discontinued after more than 10 years because of a lack of regulation and privacy concerns. Without that tool, investigators are asking people to double-check and triple-check their cameras.
Police say the technology was not a placeholder for detective work. “Those license plate readers were never a replacement for solid, diligent police work, which is what our investigators are doing right now,” Steven Klakowicz, Cape Coral Public Information Officer, said.
Martinez said he hoped the shooting served as a reminder for drivers. “You’re in Florida. People carry guns. Be careful.”
Cape Coral police asks anyone with information or surveillance or dash camera video from Thursday, Oct. 22 to call 239-574-3223.