A violent sequence of events in Southwest Florida concluded tragically this week after a 43-year-old local resident passed away while in law enforcement custody following an officer-involved shooting. Officials with the Cape Coral Police Department confirmed that Daniel Eric Colon, a resident of Cape Coral, died on Thursday, September 10, less than twenty-four hours after suffering critical injuries in a confrontation with officers. The fatal incident originated from emergency reports detailing a violent residential break-in involving multiple deadly weapons.
The formal announcement regarding Colon's death was released by local police authorities late Thursday afternoon. The suspect had been rushed in critical condition to Gulf Coast hospital immediately following the shooting on Wednesday, where medical teams performed emergency surgery in an attempt to stabilize his condition. Despite these medical interventions, Colon ultimately succumbed to his gunshot wounds while remaining under police custody, concluding a rapid law enforcement response that involved multiple agencies.
The criminal investigation initially began on Wednesday afternoon when emergency dispatchers received panicked calls reporting aggressive activity at a residential property in Northeast Cape Coral. Witnesses near the 1400 block of Northeast 10th Terrace reported observing a male suspect violently kick open the front door of a residential home. The sudden break-in prompted immediate emergency calls to local 911 dispatchers, launching a swift law enforcement response to the neighborhood.
Initial details provided by an eyewitness to police dispatchers indicated that Colon was actively armed with multiple weapons as he forced his way into the dwelling. The caller specifically reported that the intruder held a black handgun in one hand and a knife in the other as he kicked down the entrance. The reported presence of two dangerous weapons heightened the urgency of the response, warning incoming units of a high-risk situation.
During a press conference held shortly after the confrontation took place, Cape Coral Police Chief Anthony Sizemore provided critical context regarding the connection between the suspect and the home's occupants. Department officials confirmed that the residence Colon broke into belonged to members of his own family. However, Chief Sizemore emphasized that despite these biological ties, Colon was completely unwelcomed at the home by the residents.
As the illegal entry unfolded, the terrified family members residing inside the home also placed calls to emergency dispatchers to request immediate law enforcement assistance. Colon fled the residential property shortly after forcing his way inside, carrying both his firearm and knife as he made his getaway. The victims inside were able to provide key descriptive details to responding officers, assisting law enforcement as they spread out through the surrounding area in search of the armed suspect.
The search for the armed individual quickly developed into a multi-agency operation spanning adjacent blocks in Cape Coral. Police officers from the Cape Coral Police Department joined forces with deputies from the Lee County Sheriff's Office to set up a containment perimeter. Law enforcement officers focused their efforts on locating the suspect rapidly to prevent any potential danger to nearby residents or nearby commercial businesses.
Law enforcement personnel eventually tracked Colon to a commercial strip located a short distance from the scene of the residential break-in. Officers and deputies located the suspect hiding behind a retail store, specifically positioning himself near a waste dumpster behind a City Mattress facility located at 915 Northeast 15th Place in Cape Coral.
As police officers and sheriff's deputies closed in to secure the commercial area, Colon emerged from a nearby bush where he had been attempting to conceal himself. Rather than obeying verbal commands from law enforcement or surrendering peacefully to the surrounding authorities, the suspect chose to confront the officers directly.
Chief Sizemore detailed the key moments of the standoff during his press conference, stating that Colon pulled out a black handgun as soon as he stepped out from the bushes. The suspect then raised the weapon and pointed it directly at the officers who had surrounded him, creating an immediate and dangerous threat to the lives of the responding personnel.
In response to the direct threat posed by the drawn weapon, two Cape Coral police officers opened fire on the suspect, striking him and ending the standoff. Although Colon pointed his black handgun directly at the officers, police confirmed that he did not actually fire any rounds during the encounter.
Department officials confirmed that no law enforcement officers or sheriff's deputies suffered injuries during the confrontation behind the mattress store. Immediately after the gunfire ceased, officers on scene rendered assistance to Colon until emergency medical responders arrived to transport him to Gulf Coast hospital for emergency surgical treatment.
In accordance with standard administrative policy regarding officer-involved shootings, the two Cape Coral police officers who discharged their firearms have been placed on administrative leave. This standard procedure ensures that a comprehensive review of the incident can take place while maintaining administrative protocols for deadly force investigations.
Chief Sizemore revealed to reporters that he had personally reviewed the body-worn camera video recorded by the officers involved in the shooting. The police chief noted that the video evidence provided clear confirmation of the officers' accounts, stating it was plain as day that Colon had his arm fully extended while aiming a firearm directly at law enforcement.
Had Colon survived his critical injuries and subsequent emergency surgery, he would have faced extensive criminal charges for his actions. Police confirmed that the suspect was facing counts of aggravated assault with a firearm on a law enforcement officer, along with additional aggravated assault charges related to the initial forced entry into his family's home.
The incident remains under official review as law enforcement authorities finalize their investigation into the armed break-in and subsequent officer-involved shooting. With the suspect deceased and the involved officers placed on routine administrative leave, police officials continue to process the evidence and documentation surrounding the tragic event in Cape Coral.
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