Fund set up to help victims of Club Blu shooting
A fund has been set up to benefit those impacted by the Club Blu shooting in Fort Myers, with a separate account set up by family members of one of the victims to help cover funeral costs.
The Southwest Florida Community Foundation partnered with the city of Fort Myers and the United Way of Lee, Charlotte, Glades and Okeechobee Counties to open the Together Fort Myers fund to assist the victims and families. One hundred percent of the monies will be used to provide support services.
“This was just to give the community an opportunity to respond,” Sarah Owen, president of the foundation, said. “This is going to be the starting point for moving forward together and healing.”
As of Tuesday, more than $10,000 – in large and small amounts – had been received.
She said the outpouring of support has created a feeling of gratitude and hope.
“Yesterday was so heartbreaking,” Owen added.
Donations can be made online at: floridacommunity.com.
“The United Way 211 team has special skills in working with people and connecting people with resources,” she said, adding that the team will be working with those who have been affected.
Anyone wanting access to counseling services can dial 211 or 239-433-3900.
The program provides free information and referral to human/social service agencies in Lee, Hendry, Glades and Okeechobee. Clients receive information and referrals appropriate to their needs.
At 12:30 a.m. Monday, Fort Myers police responded to a shooting at the club at 3580 Evans Ave. Stef’an Strawder, 18, of Lehigh Acres, and Sean Archilles, 14, of Fort Myers, had been shot and killed, while at least 17 others sustained injuries from minor to life threatening, police officials reported.
The victims, ages 12 to 27, were transported or left for area hospitals on their own.
As of Tuesday, only three remained hospitalized within the Lee Memorial Health System.
“Two critical and one fair,” spokeswoman Pat Dolce said of their conditions.
All of the other patients have since been treated and released.
Preparing to enter his senior year at Lehigh Senior High School, Strawder was a promising basketball star with dreams of going on to play in college. He was the starting point guard for the school team.
On Monday, a GoFundMe account was created to help with the funeral expenses.
“Stef’an D. Strawder was an extraordinary, robust and multifaceted young man on and off the basketball court,” the account website states. “He was admired and loved by so many.”
“He had a such a bright future ahead of him,” it continues.
To donate to the account, visit: www.gofundme.com/2gd2f78.
Sean was headed into eighth grade at the Royal Palm Exceptional Center in Dunbar.
“The staff and students at Royal Palm School were deeply saddened to learn of the death of Sean Archilles,” Principal Robert Morretti said in a prepared statement released by school officials.
“Sean was the kind of young man who could brighten any room with his outgoing personality and contagious smile. He was a friend to all and will be deeply missed by his Royal Palm family,” he said.
On Monday, authorities reported that incidents at two other locations had been connected to the shooting. A residence and vehicles were shot at 2550 Parkway St., with one minor injury reported. The second location was reported along Ortiz Avenue, between Luckett Road and Ballard Road.
At approximately 1:15 a.m., just after the shooting, a call was received about two suspicious vehicles – one green and one white, possibly a Chevy Malibu style. The caller stated that the occupants seemed to be assisting an injured party out of one of the vehicles near the Residence Condominiums complex.
Given the proximity to the shooting, Lee County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded.
“A Fort Myers Police Department officer arrived in the area first and saw a white Chevy vehicle driving out of the parking lot,” LCSO Sgt. Matt McDaniel said in a prepared statement. “The vehicle drove out of the complex and then southbound in the northbound lanes of Solomon Boulevard.”
The officer attempted a traffic stop using emergency lights and siren, but the vehicle fled. A LCSO deputy conducted a tactic maneuver at Luckett and Ortiz, bringing the pursuit to a halt, officials said.
Two men fled the vehicle, and the FMPD officer pursued. As the deputy exited his vehicle to also pursue the suspects, the driver – identified as Derrick Leon Church, 19, of 1827 S. Meador Court, Fort Myers, accelerated toward the deputy. The deputy fired his handgun, striking him in the abdomen.
Church was transported to the hospital for treatment, then taken into custody.
The men who fled – Demetrius O’Neal, 19, of 2700 S.W. 27th St., Lehigh Acres, and Tajze Akiir Battle, 22, of 71 Palm Tree Lane, Fort Myers – were later located and also taken into custody.
Church was charged with one count each of assault on officer firefighter EMT and resist officer flee elude law enforcement officer with lights siren active, according to booking records at the Lee County Jail. O’Neal and Battle were each charged with one count of resist officer obstruct without violence.
“The investigation into the action by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office deputy is ongoing,” McDaniel said. “Once complete, it will be forwarded to the State Attorney’s Office for a complete review.”
As of Tuesday, Battle had been released from the county jail on $3,500 bond. Church remained in custody on $100,000 bond, while O’Neal was still being held on $5,000 bond, the records state.
While authorities reported that three people were detained for questioning, Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers asked for the public’s assistance on Tuesday to generate any information on the shooting.
“Detectives are hoping to get the information they need to charge the shooters with Monday morning’s attack,” Trish Routte, the coordinator for Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers, stated via an email.
She explained that detectives have been working tirelessly to collect evidence and talk to witnesses, however, few individuals are cooperating with the investigation and not one tip has been received. So a $1,000 cash reward is being offered for information leading to the arrests of the persons responsible.
An additional reward of $20,000 is also being offered by the FMPD and FBI.
“We are confident that there are people who have information on the shooters involved, and the individuals who had clear intentions to incite murder and mayhem that morning,” Routte said. “They just, for whatever reason, haven’t come forward yet.
“It’s important that people remember that if they call Crime Stoppers, they will remain completely anonymous – nobody will ever know they called,” she said. “The information known by a significant number of individuals is pivotal to moving this case forward and ensuring that the parties responsible for their deadly actions are brought to justice.”
Anyone with any information is asked to call 800-780-TIPS (8477). Tips may also be made online at: www.southwestfloridacrimestoppers.com or by texting CRIMES (274637) Keyword: REWARD.