Kelsey Engelsen, a 24-year-old woman from Naples, FL, tragically passed away on January 29, 2017. Kelsey, who was also a mother to a young daughter, Brynn, was fatally shot outside the Break Time Lounge on Gulfstream Drive in East Naples. The incident occurred around 1 a.m., and deputies from the Collier County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene following reports of a shooting.
Kelsey was transported to NCH Baker Hospital Downtown, where she succumbed to her injuries.
The investigation revealed that Kelsey Engelsen, a young white woman, was shot by Carlos Ruben Rodriguez, a 26-year-old man from East Naples. Rodriguez was involved in an altercation outside the bar, which escalated to the point where he opened fire, striking both Kelsey and another woman, Cassandra Santos. Santos sustained a minor gunshot wound to her left elbow and was treated at the scene.
Rodriguez, who had a history of prior arrests, was charged with second-degree murder, aggravated battery, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He was found guilty of second-degree murder on January 30, 2019, and was subsequently sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. During the trial, Kelsey’s family members, including her mother Lynne Engelsen and cousin Kate Bumpus, provided emotional victim impact statements, expressing their grief and the profound loss they felt due to Kelsey’s untimely death.
The case highlighted the devastating impact of gun violence and the importance of addressing the issue of convicted felons possessing firearms. Kelsey Engelsen’s death not only left a void in her family’s life but also underscored the need for stricter gun control measures to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
