Play-Doh suspect (SWFL Crime Stoppers).
Police in Florida are searching for a suspect who allegedly attacked a pair of boys over Play-Doh before fleeing the scene in a blue Honda.
SWFL Crime Stoppers, in a Facebook post shared by the sheriff’s office, said the incident happened at the Millennium Apartment Complex in Fort Myers. They released a brief excerpt from witness footage, purportedly showing the suspect. The witness described there being a fight.
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office said they responded Saturday at 1:04 p.m. and spoke to the alleged victims, according to the incident report provided to Law&Crime.
“He stated that they were walking southbound on Three Oaks Pkwy, playing with Play-Doh, throwing it towards the street,” deputies wrote. “He advised that a blue vehicle made a U-turn and began to chase them, so he and his friends began to run. Victim 1 said the unknown Hispanic male punched him with a closed fist to his face. Victim 1 fell, and the subject repeatedly punched him in the face. He said the subject stood up and stomped on his face before walking away.”
Authorities described the boy as distraught, with abrasions and scratches on his face.
The second boy corroborated the story: He said they were throwing Play-Doh toward the street from the sidewalk when they noticed the blue Honda beginning to chase them. They ran, and he saw the man beating up his friend. He went to help.
“You f—ers are the ones throwing rocks,” the attacker said, according to the second boy.
Citing privacy laws to protect victims and children, authorities did not name the boys and they redacted swathes of the affidavit, but one of the kids spoke publicly.
“So we started like throwing it in the road,” Julian Torres, 13, told Fort Myers NBC affiliate WBBH. “There wasn’t really cars there, but we were just like throwing in the road. And one of my friends threw a piece in the road, and there was a car coming on really fast, and it kind of like hit the Play-Doh, and I guess the guy got upset and he did a whole U-turn around the whole entire park back to the community.”
Crime Stoppers described the man as standing 5 feet, 9 inches, with an average build. He drove a blue, four-door car — perhaps a Honda — with a pink heart sticker on the rear bumper.
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office told Law&Crime on Tuesday that they have yet to make an arrest. They have asked that anyone with information call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS or deputies at 239-477-1000. Crime Stoppers says you can also reach out to them here.
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