Zombicon canceled for 2016 as lawsuits swirl
The Zombicon festival, beset by a tragic fatal shooting in downtown Fort Myers in 2015, will not be held in any community this year, the marketing firm that handled the event's publicity confirmed on Sunday.
The Oct. 17 shooting at the ninth zombie-themed charity event left Expavious Tyrell Taylor dead and injured several others in the heart of downtown Fort Myers. Because of the shooting, the city installed an expansive camera system to monitor the area.
Angeli Chin, Pushing DaiZies spokeswoman for Zombicon, confirmed the event was not going to be held this year. She referred further questions to event founder, Janet Demarco, who was not available for comment.
Chin, however, said that the 10th version of another gothic-type event, the Dark Arts Show, would be held this year in October.
The Dark Arts Show, “A Decade of Dark,” will be at the Sidney and Berne Davis Art Center with a display of what is described as "glamorously grotesque" artwork Oct 7-25.
Several lawsuits have been filed against Zombicon's event organizer and the security company that was hired to keep the festival safe last year.
Where will Zombicon be if not downtown Fort Myers?
A lawsuit was filed on behalf of Kyle Roberts, one of the victims struck by bullets.
Roberts, of Port Charlotte, suffered a gunshot wound to his right hand. Four others were wounded. None of them have filed lawsuits.
Taylor's family filed a $5 million wrongful death lawsuit against nonprofit Pushing DaiZies, which organized the event.
No one has been arrested for the incident.
The event had been pushed from the downtown area by the Fort Myers City Council, which decided nine years of hosting Zombicon downtown was enough, leaving the question: Where will the October event celebrate its 10th anniversary?
Witnesses in Zombicon shooting working with Fort Myers police
The Halloween street party drew 20,000 in 2015, but ended tragically with the shooting. Organizers had been hopeful they could find another home in Lee County in 2016, despite the City Council's unanimous vote in December to end relations with the event.
"This is not a movement to blame the organizers," Mayor Randy Henderson said at that time. "The responsibility of that tragedy is solely on the perpetrator."
Police want ID's of witnesses of shooting at Zombicon
Council members felt the event had outgrown downtown Fort Myers and that it should take place in a more controlled environment, such as an arena.
Zombicon also was discussed for a possible Cape Coral placement, but several City Council members voiced opposition last year. The ouncil members' concerns were varied and also received support from then-police Chief Bart Connelly.
Connelly, who has since retired, said if the event were brought to Cape Coral, he would want to restrict access through defined entry points to allow screening of fake weapons, backpacks and attendees.
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