NAPLES, FLORIDA – The Collier County Sheriff’s Office confirmed on Monday that the individual responsible for the New Year’s Eve shooting at a Port of the Islands hotel was later found dead in an office within the hotel. The sheriff’s office reported that the individual died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The suspected shooter, identified as a former employee of the Port of the Islands, has not been publicly named as authorities are waiting to notify the individual’s next of kin before releasing their identity.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, the person entered the Naples-area hotel around 3:25 p.m. on Sunday and proceeded to shoot a hotel employee, who tragically succumbed to their injuries. Following the incident, responding deputies promptly evacuated the hotel and conducted a thorough search of the facility and its surrounding areas.
After an unspecified period of time, the shooting suspect was discovered deceased in a hotel office, as stated in the release by the Sheriff’s Office. The Office declined to comment or answer questions on the incident, citing an ongoing investigation.
Multiple law enforcement and emergency response units, including CCSO’s SWAT, Aviation and Drone units, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Greater Naples Fire Rescue District, and Collier County EMS, all responded to the scene.
Port of the Islands, situated at 2500 Tamiami Trail in Collier County, southeast of Naples, is a well-known hotel and resort, renowned for its proximity to Everglades National Park, as well as its guided tours and daylong fishing trips. The hotel staff did not respond to requests for comments at the time of press.
The tragic incident at the Port of the Islands hotel has left the community reeling. The deceased hotel employee and the individual responsible for the shooting both leave behind grieving families and friends. Authorities are diligently working to provide support and comfort to those affected by this senseless act of violence.