Angilo Freeland

Angilo Freeland (a Jamaican national) was pulled over for speeding in Lakeland, Florida. After giving the officer a fake ID, and the officer called for backup, Freeland (who was armed with a handgun) ran into the woods and hid. A K9 unit responded and the two officers and the dog began searching for Freeland. Freeland shot the K9 officer 9 times, including 1 close-range shot into the officer's head and a second shot into the offier's head with the muzzle of the pistol pressed against the victim's skull. Freeland also killed the dog, and then shot the other officer when he came to assist his fellow-officer. Freeland took the dead officer's weapon and ammunition and hid in the woods again.

Law enforcement officers searched the woods for Freeland, who came out of the woods once to shoot at the searchers. He was finally cornered by SWAT officers on September 29th 2006. The SWAT team members say that when Freeland pointed his gun at them, they opened fire, shooting Freeland 68 times out of their 110 rounds fired.

His family claims Angilo was not involved in any illicit activity, and were enraged when the local Sheriff told reporters that Freeland was shot 68 times because "that's all the bullets they had". The case is under investigation by the FBI.

While his family may claim he was not involved in criminal activity, his home was the subject of an ongoing drugs and weapons investigation. [http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061006/NEWS26/61006001]

In a report dated June 14, 2007, Gabrielle Finley of Ledger.com published that "The Polk County Sheriff’s Office said today that area law enforcement agencies have arrested 19 people in Orange and Hernando counties who were connected with Angilo Freeland in a street-level drug trafficking operation. Freeland is the man deputies say shot and killed Deputy Matt Williams and his K-9 Diogi last September following a traffic stop. In a press conference today, Polk Sheriff Grady Judd said Freeland served as an assassin in the drug operation. Officials suspect him of killing up to 15 people in Latin America for not paying their drug debts. They are unsure if he killed anyone in Florida, but are still investigating that angle. Freeland was “pure evil in the flesh,” Judd said." The investigations had been facilitated directly via a cellphone found on Freeland's body.

External links

* [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15262111/site/newsweek Escapee shot 68 times, Angilo Freeland]