Bangladeshi woman killed in hammer attack at Florida store

Published : Friday, 3 April, 2026 at 6:39 PM Count : 6

A Bangladeshi woman was beaten to death with a hammer at a convenience store in Fort Myers, Florida, United States on Thursday, triggering a police operation that ended with the suspect’s arrest later in the day.

The victim, identified as Yasmin, was a Bangladeshi expatriate living in Fort Myers.

According to local police and emergency service sources, the attack took place at a convenience store at around 7:14 am (local time). Personnel from the Fort Myers Fire Department and Lee County EMS responded swiftly and rescued Yasmin with severe injuries. She was, however, pronounced dead at 7:27 am in front of the store.

Preliminary investigations indicate that a man with a history of mental illness entered the store armed with a hammer and attacked her.

Prior to the assault, he vandalised a vehicle parked outside the premises.

CCTV footage from the scene shows the suspect wearing a yellow graphic T-shirt, black shorts, yellow or orange sneakers and carrying a backpack. He is seen striking the woman’s vehicle multiple times with a hammer. When Yasmin came out of the store to confront him, the attacker approached and struck her in the head, causing her to collapse. He then hit her several more times in the head before fleeing.

Police launched a large-scale search operation following the incident, with assistance from K-9 units and the Lee County Sheriff’s Aviation Unit. As a precautionary measure, three nearby schools were placed on lockdown.

Although the suspect initially managed to flee, police were able to identify him. Authorities also said he may be linked to an unsolved homicide that occurred several months ago.

Yasmin was originally from Chandraganj upazila of Lakshmipur district in Bangladesh. Her death has cast a shadow of grief in the Bangladeshi community in Florida.

FP/MI