CAPE CORAL, FL — A man shot by Cape Coral police officers near a City Mattress store on Del Prado Boulevard North has died at the hospital, according to the Cape Coral Police Department. Investigators later determined that Daniel Eric Colon was carrying a CO2 airsoft pistol, not a traditional firearm, when the confrontation unfolded Wednesday.
Police said officers were responding after Colon was accused of pointing a gun at law enforcement. The department says he was shot after emerging from hiding near a dumpster and raising what officers believed was a firearm. No officers were injured. The two officers involved have been placed on administrative leave, which is standard department policy.
Police say the encounter began after a break-in at a relative’s home
According to Cape Coral police, Colon had a gun and a knife when he broke down a door and entered a relative’s home. Officers described him as an unwelcome family member who later left the residence.
The sequence of events then moved to the parking lot near City Mattress, where Chief Anthony Sizemore said officers found Colon hiding behind a dumpster. Sizemore told reporters that Colon came out of hiding, pointed a gun at officers, and was shot. Police have said Colon then died at Gulf Coast Medical Center from his injuries.
Chief Anthony Sizemore says body-camera video showed Colon with his arm extended
In a news conference, Cape Coral police Chief Anthony Sizemore said he personally reviewed body-worn camera footage from both officers. He said the video shows Colon coming out from the bushes with his arm extended and holding a firearm.
Sizemore said the footage made the officers’ perception clear at the scene. Separate video from inside the City Mattress reportedly shows multiple Cape Coral police officers and Lee County deputies moving toward Colon after the shooting. In that footage, Colon is seen on the ground near a dumpster, with his image blurred.
Nearby home video shows Colon before he fled to the store parking lot
Investigators also reviewed security footage from a nearby home that shows Colon at the residence shortly before he fled toward the City Mattress parking lot. That video helped trace his movement in the minutes before the police encounter, according to the department.
Residents in the area said the incident raised concerns in the neighborhood. Police have not said whether anyone else was inside the relative’s home when Colon entered, and they have not released additional details about the knife or how the airsoft pistol appeared to officers at the scene.
Colon’s daughter says the family is struggling to process his death
Adreanna Colon, who said she is Daniel Colon’s daughter, told Gulf Coast News that he died in the hospital after being shot. In a statement, she said losing her father is something she never imagined facing.
She added that the family is dealing with a painful mix of emotions and questions after his death. Her comments came as investigators continued to sort out the timeline of the confrontation and the type of weapon Colon had with him when officers opened fire.
Police withheld body-camera footage while the investigation remains active
Gulf Coast News requested the body-camera footage from Cape Coral police, but the department denied the request. Officials cited Florida Statute 119.071(2)(c), which generally shields active criminal investigative information from public release.
The department’s decision means the video has not been publicly released while the investigation remains open. For now, police have said only that Colon was carrying a CO2 airsoft pistol and that the officers involved are on administrative leave as the case is reviewed.
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