Suspect in Cape Coral police officer shooting to be held without bail

Yousel Lopez Rivera, the man accused of shooting Cape Coral police officer David Wagoner, made his first court appearance today before Lee County Judge R. Thomas Corbin at the Lee County Justice Center in Fort Myers.

Corbin ordered Rivera, 20, be held without bail. He was represented by a public defender.

9:39 a.m. update — Cape Coral interim police chief Jay Murphy said this morning that officer David Wagoner, who was shot in the stomach after making a traffic stop early Saturday morning, was continuing his recovery at Lee Memorial Hospital and "he was going to be fine."

Yousel Lopez Rivera, who police say fired three shots at point blank range, the third piercing Wagoner's bullett proof vest and going into his abdomen, was charged with charged with attempted first-degree murder. He appeared in court today.

Murphy said procedures will not change as far as officer approaching cars stopped for possible traffic violations, but added officers at roll call since the shooting have been reminded to be careful.

Murphy said as officers continue to investigate the case, there is still no clear motive as to why Rivera allegedly opened fire after the vehicle in which he was riding was stopped on Santa Barbara Boulevard just north of Pine Island Road.

"The officer did everything right," Murphy said. "He was just ambushed.

The driver of the car, a 17-year-old girl, was not identified. Murphy said she was not charged with anything, nor was she cited for a traffic violation.

After the shooting, police said Rivera, jumped on the girl's lap and drove the car into a house. He fled and was later found by police hiding in a garbage can.

Wagoner is the first Cape officer to be shot in the line of duty.