A custody exchange ended in two deaths Wednesday morning, making it the second homicide in Cape Coral in three days, police said.
At approximately 9:20 a.m., Cape Coral Police officers received a call about a woman who had been shot and was lying in the 1700 block of SE 12th Street.
Cape Coral Police responded to a domestic shooting near the 1600 block of SE 12th Ter on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. CCPD dive team members recovered a vehicle in the nearby canal.
Officials said a male partner had just walked into the home as they exchanged two children. Police did not release their ages or the names of the parties involved.
More: Cape Coral teen Kayla Rincon-Miller killed in shooting; Police are looking for the shooter
“They were exchanging children and then she went back inside… She forgot something when they were exchanging the children,” said Officer Mercedes Phillips, Cape Coral police spokeswoman. “She came back and he shot her.”
The man drove around a block where he handed the children over to firefighters. It was unclear whether firefighters were responding to the 911 call or dealing with another matter.
Phillips said he told firefighters he wanted to take his own life.
Cape Coral Police responded to a domestic shooting near the 1600 block of SE 12th Ter on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. CCPD dive team members recovered a vehicle in the nearby canal.
He then shot himself, causing his car to roll into the nearby canal, she said.
“One of the officers attempted to jump into the water, but at that point he was confirmed dead,” Phillips said.
Emergency responders took the woman to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead, Phillips said.
“The children are now in the care of the family who lived nearby,” Phillips said. “…You're safe with them now.”
Phillips said they would not release the names until next of kin are notified.
Cape Coral police are investigating a shooting they believe is related to a domestic dispute along Southeast 17th Street on Wednesday, March 20. They were in two locations about a block apart and pulled a car out of a canal.
Phillips said she could not immediately confirm how many people were inside the home.
Second murder in Cape Coral this year
On Sunday, 15-year-old Kayla Rincon-Miller was shot while walking with friends after leaving a movie around 9:30 p.m. Suspects blinded her with their headlights, and one of the suspects shot her in the chest before fleeing the 2000 block of Southeast 16th Place.
Police arrested 16-year-old Thomas Roy Stein of North Fort Myers on Tuesday. He faces murder charges.
The murders are the first in the city of 2024.
Tomas Rodriguez is a breaking/live news reporter for the Naples Daily News and The News-Press. Reach Tomas at TRodriguez@gannett.com or 772-333-5501. Connect with him on the threads @tomasfrobeltran, Instagram @tomasfrobeltran and Facebook @tomasrodrigueznews.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Cape Coral murder-suicide: 2 dead in custody exchange
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