Mother wants people to come forward in shooting that killed her son

A 19-year-old Fort Myers man died after he was shot in Cape Coral early Saturday.

Cape Coral Police Department identified the victim as Kevin Girard Palmer. There has been no suspect apprehension or arrest for the shooting at this time.

Police responded to a home in the 100 block of SE 6th Street at around 4:30 a.m. and found Palmer with a gunshot injury to the head. He was taken to the hospital where he later died.

“I got the call at 4:30 in the morning telling me that I needed to get to Cape Coral Hospital because my son had been shot up,” said Farrah Sturgis, Palmer’s mother.

Sturgis says her son was pronounced brain dead at the hospital 12 hours later.

“He was a baby. He’s still my baby. Kevin was loving. He was smart,” Sturgis said. “This shouldn’t have happened to my son.

Sturgis doesn’t place sole blame on the shooter.

“I fault the shooter, and I fault the host who had a party for her daughter, a 17-year-old, unsupervised,” Sturgis said.

Neighbors say the rental property has been a problem with parties in the past.

A code violation notice now hangs on the front door for renting out the property for less than a week.

Investigators say the shooting stemmed from a disturbance at a home a Lehigh Acres family rented to celebrate a birthday. Someone posted on Instagram about the party and that caused uninvited people to show up at the party.

Multiple shots were fired during the disturbance, and Palmer was struck in the head. Police also found two cars and two houses with bullet holes in them.

Palmer’s mother wants to see more justice for her child with help from the community.

“If you know something, come forward,” Sturgis said.

CCPD is asking anyone with related information to contact them by calling (239) 574-3223, submitting tips at CCPD Tips, anonymously through CityProject, sending a message through CCPD social media platforms or calling Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS. Use Case Report # 21-008921.