At 8:48 a.m. Friday, a concerned citizen called the Collier County Sheriff’s Office to report that he saw a suspicious man drinking beer at the 7-Eleven at 1183 Airport-Pulling Road South. The caller said the man appeared to have a gun and was sitting near a Dumpster under a tree on the property, which is located in a heavily populated and busy area of Collier County.
The caller described the man as an older white male, with a balding hairline. He was wearing a blue long-sleeved shirt and blue shorts, the caller said.
The preliminary investigation indicates that deputies responded and made contact with the man at 8:54 a.m. and confirmed that he had what appeared to be a firearm. The man threatened the deputies and one of the deputies shot the man.
The man was initially transported to Naples Community Hospital and later transported to Lee Memorial Hospital in Fort Myers, where he is being treated for his injuries.
The man’s identity will be released when it becomes available.
The CCSO Major Crimes Bureau is investigating. A parallel administrative investigation is being conducted per agency policy. Once the Major Crimes Bureau investigation is complete it will be forwarded to the State Attorney’s Office for review.
In accordance with agency policy, the two deputies at the scene have been placed on administrative leave.
