Naples PD officer fired after internal affairs investigation

NAPLES, Fla.- A Naples Police Department officer has been fired for allegedly lying during an investigation and making malicious statements about the department.

An internal affairs report shows Officer Russell Ayers was a person of interest in the theft of Officer Robert Young’s handgun at the police department.

During the investigation, the report says Ayers tried to control his breathing during a polygraph test and was vague during an interview with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

Ayers also made malicious statements about Young, according to another internal affairs report. The report says Ayers referred to Young as a criminal and said Young had something to do with the shooting of his ex-wife, Officer Amy Young.

In July, Officer Amy Young was shot and injured by her boyfriend, Officer Luis Monroig, before he killed himself.