Man sentenced to life for 2020 Fort Myers nightclub shooting

A Gibsonton man was convicted in March of shooting two men outside a Fort Myers nightclub last year. Jonathan Anthony Reid, 32, was found guilty of possessing a firearm and ammunition as a previously convicted felon in the shooting outside Babe’s on Jan. 29, 2020.

On Monday, Reid was sentenced to life in prison for the shooting that injured the two men.

Evidence shows Reid shot two men who were standing in front of the entrance of the club on Cleveland Avenue before fleeing a silver sedan with a stolen license plate.

Investigators say Reid made efforts to conceal his identity during the shooting by wearing a hooded sweatshirt, gloves, and a ski mask. Following the shooting Reid fled the scene towards McGregor Blvd and crashed several minutes later. Evidence was recovered from his vehicle linking him to the shooting. In the car, law enforcement found a Glock .45 caliber handgun, nine rounds of .45 caliber ammunition, a camouflage ski mask, a hooded sweatshirt, and blue latex gloves.

DNA analysis later revealed that Reid’s DNA profile matched DNA extracted from the ski mask, the sweatshirt, a ripped latex glove, and the firearm that was recovered from the vehicle. Three cell phones were also found in the car, all of which were later connected to Reid.

Reid was arrested in April of last year. The victims suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

The U.S. Marshal’s Task Force arrested Reid in Hillsborough County pursuant to an arrest warrant for Attempted First Degree Murder and Aggravated Battery and he was later arrested. The Fort Myers Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office also assisted in this investigation.