A Bangladeshi woman has been brutally beaten to death with a hammer at a convenience store in Fort Myers. Police later arrested the suspected attacker. The victim has been identified as Yasmin, a Bangladeshi expatriate who lived in Fort Myers.
According to police and emergency service sources, the incident occurred at the D & D Convenience Store at around 7:14 a.m. on Thursday. Responding quickly, Fort Myers Fire Department and Lee County EMS rescued Yasmin with severe injuries. However, she was pronounced dead at 7:27 a.m. in front of the store.
Preliminary investigations indicate that a man with a history of mental illness entered the store armed with a hammer and attacked the female employee. Before the assault, he vandalized a vehicle parked outside the store.
CCTV footage from the scene shows the suspect wearing a yellow graphic T-shirt, black shorts, yellow or orange sneakers, and carrying a backpack. He is seen striking the woman’s vehicle multiple times with a hammer. When Yasmin came out of the store to confront him, the attacker approached and struck her in the head, causing her to collapse. He then hit her several more times in the head before fleeing the scene.
Following the incident, police launched a large-scale search operation with the assistance of K-9 units and the Lee County Sheriff’s Aviation Unit. As a precaution, three nearby schools were placed on lockdown. Although the suspect initially managed to flee, police were able to identify him.
Authorities also said the suspect may be linked to an unsolved homicide that occurred several months ago on Hough Street.
As the suspect remained at large until the afternoon, police urged local residents to remain vigilant and to call 911 immediately if they spotted him. Authorities also warned the public not to approach the suspect or open their doors to him.
Photos released by police showed the suspect wearing a yellow T-shirt, black shorts, a gray backpack, and yellow sneakers.
By late afternoon, the Fort Myers Police Department confirmed that the suspect had been arrested. The investigation into the incident is ongoing.
Yasmin hailed from Kushakhali Union (No. 18) in Chandraganj upazila of Lakshmipur district in Bangladesh. Her tragic death has cast a shadow of grief among Bangladeshi expatriates across Florida and the United States.