The Lee County sheriff Wednesday praised a bystander who aided a deputy under attack on an Interstate 75 off-ramp. And a gun store owner gave the bystander a replacement firearm because his gun was impounded in the investigation.

Yet the Sheriff's Office has declined media requests to release the name of the bystander, whom Sheriff Mike Scott has called a hero and good Samaritan. Sheriff's officials Wednesday told the Daily News they're refusing to divulge the shooter's identity because the shooting remains "an active investigation."

"Earlier this week, two heroes met on I-75 and while they had never met before, one would save the others life," Scott wrote Wednesday morning in a Facebook post.


Sheriff Scott lauds 'good Samaritan' who shot suspect

LCSO says the bystander shot the suspect after repeatedly warning him to stop attacking the deputy. Deputy Dean Bardes, a 12-year veteran of the force, was helping Florida High Patrol at a crash scene when the suspect, Edward Strother, drove through the scene and nearly struck Bardes.

The deputy then gave chase in his patrol car, pulling over Strother's vehicle on the southbound Interstate 75 exit ramp at Corkscrew Road about 9:30 a.m. Monday. Strother exited his car as Bardes exited his, a struggle ensued and Strother attacked Bardes and threw him to the ground, the Sheriff's Office reported.

Witnesses reported Strother, 53, of Ocala, exceeded speeds of 100 mph on the freeway. Other bystanders watched Strother leave his car and began filming the incident.



Deputies reported that the bystander – who was driving by – stopped and warned Strother to get off of Bardes. When he refused, authorities said, the bystander shot the suspect. Bardes was treated at Lee Memorial Hospital and released.

A report released Wednesday morning indicated more than 60 officers, including sheriff's deputies and Florida Highway Patrol troopers, subsequently responded to the shooting.

On Tuesday, Shoot Straight – a Fort Myers gun dealer and firing rang – gave the unidentified bystander who shot and killed Edward Strother the replacement gun.

“We reached out to the Lee County sheriff,” said Mark Williams, who has managed the Fort Myers Shoot Straight location since it opened in 2010 off Colonial Boulevard. “He had to impound the gun for evidence. We wanted to donate a gun so this man’s not unarmed.”

The bystander, according to eyewitness accounts, shot three times and killed Strother. Sheriff’s deputies accompanied the shooter to the gun store Tuesday.

“I know he wants to stay anonymous,” said Williams, who declined to identify him. “He’s a super nice guy. He doesn’t want any attention.”

Williams said the man had a concealed weapons permit. He ran a background check on the man and then gave him the weapon.

Shoot Straight gave the man a Springfield XDS, an handgun that can hold up to eight rounds. It was black, weighed almost two pounds and was made in Croatia. It cost $500.


Shoot Straight gives I-75 shooter a replacement gun

Williams said after the background check came up clean, he did not hesitate to donate the weapon