Posted on 09/30/2006 8:09:00 PM PDT by AZRepublican
LAKELAND, Fla. - Officers fired 110 rounds of ammunition at the man suspected of killing a sheriff's deputy, according to an autopsy and records released by the sheriff's office Saturday.
Angilo Freeland — who was suspected of fatally shooting the deputy after being pulled over for speeding Thursday — was hit 68 times by the SWAT team members' shots, the examination showed.
He also was suspected of wounding a deputy and killing a police dog.
Freeland's death ended a nearly 24-hour manhunt that forced schools to lock down and families to stay indoors as about 500 officers scoured the woods.
The wounded deputy had pulled Freeland over for speeding and became suspicious of his identification. The suspect got nervous and bolted into the woods, officials said.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said he was not concerned by the number of shots fired.
"You have to understand, he had already shot and killed a deputy, he had already shot and killed a K-9 and he shot and injured another deputy," Judd said by phone Saturday. "Quite frankly, we weren't taking any chances."
Ten SWAT officers surrounded Freeland on Friday as he hid beneath brush and a fallen tree in a rural area. Authorities say he raised the gun belonging to the deputy he had killed, prompting nine officers to fire.
"I suspect the only reason 110 rounds was all that was fired was that's all the ammunition they had," Judd said. "We were not going to take any chance of him shooting back."
The SWAT officers who shot Freeland have been placed on paid administrative leave, standard procedure in all police shootings.
Also released Saturday were autopsy results for the deputy, Vernon Matthew Williams, 39, which showed he had been shot eight times. He was not wearing a protective vest, but shots hit him in his right leg and behind his right ear, among other places.
Diogi, his German shepherd police dog, was also killed. The dog had been shot once in the chest.
Authorities said deputy sheriff Doug Speirs, also 39, was fired at several times and shot once in the leg. A sergeant and an officer from the Lakeland Police Department were also fired at, authorities said.
To paraphrase the Mayor of Munchkin City, he's not only merely dead, he's really most sincerely dead.
While they waited for her hair to dry, the phone rang. Mrs. Odell explained that if no one answered the phone (also the doctor's) phone, suspicions would be raised. Bonnie agreed but threatened against any false moves. She answered the phone about a sick child and jotted down the message. A few minutes later, the doctor returned. Calmly, Mrs. Odell said there was a message by the phone. The doctor took his bag and left for the house call.
Bonnie waited till he left, but got spooked. She demanded her curlers be taken out so she could leave. Mrs. Odell tried to stall, but Bonnie got out of there anyway.
Sure enough, the sheriff arrived with weapons drawn. The note had explained it all. Bonnie escaped capture only to be killed a few weeks later.
Mrs. Odell still lives independently and has only stopped "fixing" hair within the last few years. She shared this story with me last year.
It workd so well he only needed one session.
Except in Seattle. If you kill a cop here, you get counseling and a book deal. SPD chief Gil Kerlikowski is a sissy and KC Prosecutor Norm Maleng is worthless when it comes to putting murderers away. Look at how he let the Green River Killer get off light. Now that murdering POS gets 3 hots and a cot for life on our dime while the families of his victims get screwed forever.
A brave and smart lady is Mrs. Odell. Clyde might've come after her had Bonnie been arrested.
Nor any chance of any OJ verdict if he went to trial
Swiss cheese!
The proverbial ventilation
yeah-a good shortcut for a scumbag who apparently finished off the sherrif's deputy after he was down-i am amazed we haven't heard from the race pimps yet-jackson,sharpton,et al or the aclu(anti american commie lawyers union)
Its quite possible he was shot more than 68 times but the coroner wasn't able to find those holes because they'd been obliterated by later shots..."
One bullet (or buckshot) penetrating the arm—then the torso—counts as four holes.
The Medical Examiner must determine how many shots...if he can.
Saved the Florida and county taxpayers a whole lot of money and saved us the spectacle seeing this useless POS on TV on trial
Wow. Thanks for the insights into your sheriff. I was so impressed with his demeanor and frankness on tv- he's one of the good guys.
Thanks for the ping.
Guy must be reading my posts. Don't know how many times I posted this:
Why'd you'd shoot him 44 times?Ran out of ammo.
PCSO ERT uses MP5s.
A few years back, a SO deputy shot a scumbag (with a 9mm) who ended up paralyzed. He sued the SO and won. The Sheriff (Crow) decided that day to switch sidearms to .45 S&Ws.
He is very impressive. I saw one of his pressers on Thursday. Definitely not a man to be trifled with. I believe I recall his saying he had lost a partner in the line of duty
Ping me as well, please Doc
'These are SWAT officers?'
No suprise here. Most of the ones that I see every day (in and out of NYC on the daily commute) strike me as the type of guys who like to wear all the "cool" tac gear, but probably couldn't fire the A4s that they have slung over their shoulders much better than they could run a mile to save their own lives.
I was getting on the bus the other day and the NJ Transit Police were doing a random bag check of commuters. There were six of these guys there, all but one of them looked to be at least 40 pounds overweight, and they were all adorned with the latest and greatest goodies from the Brigade Quartermaster catalog (tactical low-rider holsters, blackhawk slings, 8 spare mags on the belt, etc...).
I guess NJ Transit had a few extra bucks in the budget last year.
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