Florida police hunt cop shooter (Update: 1 Officer Dead )

CBS News ^ | 9/28/06

[verum ago]

Police were searching for a suspect who shot two sheriff's deputies Thursday, authorities said.

The Polk County deputies were taken to Lakeland Regional Medical Center following the early afternoon shooting in north Lakeland, sheriff's spokeswoman Donna Wood said. She didn't know their conditions.

The situation started when Polk deputies reportedly stopped a vehicle near Lakeland, CBS affiliate WTSP-TV in Tampa, Fla. reports. Shots were fired, and both deputies were hit.

[tiredoflaundry]

Prayers for all involved.

[tiredoflaundry]

ping

[Dubh_Ghlase]

From WFLA 970-am: Suspect is black with dreadlocks, white t-shirt and dark pants. I-4 is shutdown and pursuit is ongoing (additional shots fired at law authorities). Local high school is on lockdown...

[tiredoflaundry]

I-4 is at a crawl from Tampa to Orlando.

[sure_fine]

its been on almost non stop since the begining on FNC

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

More....http://www.tampabays10.com/news/local/article.aspx?storyid=40607

I can't get the video feed to work....

[OldFriend]

Schools in lockdown. What a sad time for our children.

[klgator]

I'm about 5 miles away at work. Needless to say, we have our front door locked. Hope they shoot the jerk. No sense wasting good taxpayers' money on trash like this. Even shot a K-9 dog.

[Froufrou]

Prayers engaged. Be safe, gator! BTW, in TX this is an automatic capitol offense with a death penalty.

[klgator]

Thanks! We also hand out the death penalty enthusiastically, but getting it carried out is another story, not like Texas. Texas knows how to dispense justice!

[Froufrou]

Well, things were better here when W was governor. But, ya know, it ain't sportin' to keep the good ol' boy all to ourselves! ;o)

[INSENSITIVE GUY]

Alleged my as*,this shooter is guilty as hel*!Shoot on site!

[Centurion2000]

Thanks! We also hand out the death penalty enthusiastically, but getting it carried out is another story, not like Texas. Texas knows how to dispense justice!

Ron White said it best: Most states are trying to stop the death penalties; Texas is working on an express lane.

[INSENSITIVE GUY]

It is illogical to have a"life in prison"sentence.Once people reach the stage of this shooter they are no longer any value to the human race so therefore pointless to keep them alive.What purpose does it serve?

[Inge_CAV]

BTTT!

[Inge_CAV]

Another cop shot in Montgomery, AL. Suspect has been arrested there. FNC!

[FReepaholic]

Orlando TV station reporting that one police officer has died.

www.local6.com

[cgk]

:( Oh no. Prayers for his family, and for the other wounded officer.

[cgk]

http://www.local6.com/news/9956114/detail.html

The officer that died was the K-9 officer, Sheriff's Deputy Matthew Williams, and his dog was killed also. The other officer was shot in the leg and is expected to recover.

[tioga]

Prayers for the injured officer. May the other officer and the dog RIP.

AND, I hope they nail the shooter soon.

[MamaB]

Thanks for the update. I saw a segment right after the shooting but did not know what had happened.

[cgk]

If Deputy Williams had the same K-9 since 2002, the dog's name was Rocky according to some online Polk County Sheriff's briefings about K-9 trials.

[MonroeDNA]

Kill him slowly.

[BJClinton]

[SE Mom]

Been watching this on our local TV- The sheriff's dept called the dog "keeogie" (sp?)- not sure if he was a younger one. The two of them went right into the woods in pursuit and were both shot and killed. They're reporting the suspect has 2-3 guns.

My question is- is he carrying ammo on his person? When the sherrif went back to his patrol car to call for back up and check the guy's ID (was NOT carrying a FL DL) is this when he loaded up his pockets with ammo?

It's just so bizarre...and he's STILL on the loose...

[DocRock]

Just a few minutes ago, they had live coverage of a black male with white t-shirt and dread locks being taken into custody after jumping a fence at Kathleen High School. The suspect they took into custody was wearing blue jeans, not dark pants as previously stated. Now reporting that he may have been a student that snuck out of the locked down school. Most of this was channel 10 and 13 out of Tampa... in the last 15 minutes.

[Inge_CAV]

Bump!

[verum ago]

thank you ... keep the updates coming

[DocRock]

[DocRock]

Now saying that it was a kid from school, not the suspect. He's lucky he didn't get shot.

Also, Channel 8 showed a head on collision. A Polk County deputy hit a gray sedan. Looked like it could have been serious. I'm sure the deputy was heading the call about the teen jumping the fence at the High School.

[RDTF]

per CNN:

Deputy Matthew Williams, a 12-year veteran of the department, and his canine officer were both shot to death, Judd said. Deputy Doug Spears was shot in the leg and was expected to make a full recovery.

[VeniVidiVici]

bump

[DocRock]

Deputy Matthew Williams
Killed in the Line of Duty
Survived by his wife and 3 children



Deputy Doug Spears

[cgk]

Thank you for the clarification. My uncle has had a few K-9's so I wasn't sure if "Rocky" was the same one. I know they only keep the dogs working for 6 years or so on average (at least at my uncle's dept).

And, it sure sound like he was carrying the ammo. I read earlier that he asked "Am I going to jail?" so he knew what was coming and probably prepared for it (as all copkillers do) by getting ready for a firefight. Monster.

[cgk]

More info on the fallen officer:

UPDATE: Fallen deputy was 12-year veteran

Lakeland, Florida -- The Polk County Sheriff's deputy who was killed by an unknown gunman on Thursday was a 12-year veteran of the force.

Thirty-nine-year-old Deputy Sheriff Vernon "Matt" Williams joined the agency in April 1994. He was shot and killed, along with his K-9 partner Diogi, a German Shepherd. [Full Story]

They have been a K-9 team at the agency since 2000. They were assigned to the Northwest District K-9 Unit.

Deputy Williams leaves behind his wife, and three children.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the Williams family.

[Aeronaut]

Orlando TV station reporting that one police officer has died.

Police consider K-9s as officers, too. Count it as two officers killed, one wounded.

(Disclaimer: I own a German Shepard Dog)

[DocRock]

Channel 13 reporting that the 1,600 kids still on "lock down" at Kathleen High will be bussed to another location for secure pick-up by their parents.

[SE Mom]

K-9's are the best!

Thanks for your info.

Sounds now as though this fellow has a "Jamaican" accent...
they are expanding the search now over towards my direction in Orlando..

[don-o]

Did the perp flee on foot on in car?

[don-o]

I see - he ran away. Get him boys - with extreme prejudice

They are loading kids on busses now.

[cgk]

Lock your doors and windows tight. Keep the phone close (and any weapons you may have!). (and thank your son for his service!)

[don-o]

How close are you to the scene of the shooting?

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

Place holder

[don-o]

Live feed from Ch 10 us just showing a chopper shot above the school. No audio.

[DocRock]

Thanks for the "heads up" on the chopper feed. I live about 12 miles from there and can't find any live coverage right now.

[don-o]

WElcome Doc. They have been loading busses for a while. Then they show a church across the freeway with the parking lot filling up . Guess is they will take the kids over there?

Not sure I understand the thinking behind this...but I assume there is some.

[DocRock]

If I had to guess, they have probably been sending concerned parents there, (Victory Church), all afternoon. As the high school is very close to the location of the shooting and search, it is probably much easier to secure the church area for the traffic. There are 1,600 kids involved. That's a lot of traffic.

[don-o]

Yes - well the feed is gone. God protect our LEO's who are hunting this POS down tonight.

[DocRock]

Good update from Channel 10's 6pm link.

MASH HERE