LEE COUNTY, Fla. - Cape Coral police are being commended for putting a stop to a suspected killer, but they're also being criticized for not releasing more information to the public about this case.
At this point very little has been confirmed, but rumors are swirling about this horrible shooting spree.
Evidence markers, spray paint and bullet holes are grisly reminders of Sunday's shooting spree. It all ended on Skyline Boulevard just off Cape Coral Parkway.
A witness tells Four in your Corner, "These are all the spent shell casing markers. Eleven shots missed the bad guy and hit the house."
Police say five people were shot and two of them were killed by 31 year old Christopher Moran. With three different crime scenes, the tragedy terrorized the entire community.
"We probably heard at least 50 shots," said another witness.
One man's family lives within blocks of where police caught up with Moran. We're told two other people were in his car when he began firing his shotgun at police. They returned fire, dumping dozens of rounds, and ten of them hit a house.
Police killed Moran and his two passengers were injured and are now in the hospital. A witness says he, "Counted approximately 45 shell casings from the officers that were responding to the threat."
Police say it all began on Skyline Boulevard when Moran shot and killed a man on his motorcycle just befor6 PM Sunday. They say Moran then drove to a Circle K store on Cape Coral Parkway. Police only confirming Moran shot and killed a second person there.
Witnesses telling Fox 4 that Moran tried to buy cigarettes and when his card was declined he pulled out the shotgun. The woman he was with tried to stop him. "She went to take the shotgun and then she said I got the baby here and then he took the gun and shot the guy behind the counter," said the witness. That victim died.
Witnesses tell us Moran then drove back to the first crime scene, shot at police and took off before they quickly caught up with him on Skyline.
MORE: Man recalls terrifying encounter with suspect in fatal shootings
The incident is striking fear in residents. The owner of a gun store in the Cape tells Fox 4 business was up Monday because people are concerned for their safety.
But police say they have no reason to be alarmed. "The acute threat last night from the person who was doing the shooting is absolutely contained, and there's no information to lead us to believe there's another party involved or anything like that," says Sgt. Dana Coston.
At this point, most people don't know what to believe, but one man feels a whole lot better with a little protection. He keeps a 9mm pistol in his car’s glove compartment. “What is it that prompted somebody to snap in that way and go off shooting people that he did not know," he asks.
We don’t know if anyone in this case knew each other or not. We spoke with a friend of the victim who was shot on his motorcycle. According to them, Cape Coral police told them not to talk to the media.
Cape police say they need to reach next of kin before releasing more details in this case.
