Rones Sagesse, 26, was found guilty as charged of two counts of Aggravated Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer following a two day trial in Lee County.
In November 2016, deputies responded to a call for service regarding a domestic disturbance at a home in the Pine Minor area of Fort Myers.
When deputies arrived at the home Sagesse was sitting on a concrete slab near the side door of the house. As they came up the driveway, the defendant jumped up and pointed a gun at them. The first deputy to come up the driveway saw a round eject from the firearm, causing him to fall back onto the ground. While on his back, the deputy was able to fire his weapon and hit Sagesse in the leg. Sagesse then fled the scene on foot.
The deputies called in that shots had been fired which resulted in an extensive multi-agency search of the area. The search was conducted by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the Fort Myers Police Department and included both canine and aviation units.
The search spanned over the course of several hours and during that time multiple calls to 911 were made by residents in the area all reporting that the defendant had been knocking on their doors. When Sagesse knocked on one particular home’s door, the owner answered and Sagesse was able to push his way inside. He was bleeding from his leg and told the owner that he had
been shot by the police. The owner quickly got him out of the home before contacting law enforcement.
Sagesse was located and arrested in the yard of a home not from the shooting after he tried to get into yet another home. That homeowner called 911 and told them a man in dark clothing was bleeding and had been at her front door.
During the time Sagesse was on the run, he hid his gun behind a shed in the backyard of another home. The gun was recovered by law enforcement. The round that was ejected in front of deputies at the time of the shooting came from the gun that was found. Blood that was left on the floor from his entry into the first home also matched the defendant.
Sagesse faces up to 30 years in prison at his sentencing on April 16th. Assistant State Attorneys Ashley Adams and Leena Marcos prosecuted the case.
Samantha Syoen
Communications Director
State Attorney’s Office
239-533-1125
ssyoen@sao20.org