LEE COUNTY, Fla – No charges will be filed in a deputy involved shooting that occurred in May in Bonita Springs.? The State Attorney’s Office has finished its review of the case and concluded that the shooting was a justifiable use of deadly force.
On Sunday, May 16, 2010, at approximately 10:10 P.M., deputies with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office responded to The Inn at the Springs on Highland Woods Boulevard, Bonita Springs, in reference to a shooting.? When deputies arrived on scene they discovered a male victim suffering from a gunshot wound.? He was transported to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Due to the nature of the incident, detectives with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office Major?Crimes Unit assumed the investigation.? By speaking with the victim and witnesses on scene, detectives were able to determine the identification of the suspect.? Information obtained through the course of the investigation revealed the suspect may be at a home on? Morton Avenue in Bonita Springs.
Deputies responded to the home to see if the suspect was at the residence.? While investigators were on scene, the suspect approached the residence in his vehicle.? Deputies attempted a traffic stop but the suspect fled, leading to a brief pursuit.? While pursuing the suspect, deputies initiated a PIT maneuver and managed to disable the suspect vehicle.? When deputies approached the vehicle in an attempt to make an arrest, the suspect pulled out a firearm and was fatally wounded by deputies.? No officers were harmed during the incident.
The suspect was later identified as Craig Stephen Spitz.
Justifiable use of deadly force, deputy cleared in fatal shooting
