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Polk County shooting suspect shot, killed
Friday, September 29, 2006
Judd provided details about the killing of the suspect.
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SWAT Team member have shot and killed the man accused of shooting and killing a Polk County Sheriff's deputy, a K-9 officer and wounding another deputy in Lakeland Thursday.
The suspect was discovered in a hole he had dug under a fallen oak tree log in the woods about 75 yards away from the last location of Thursday night's gunfire.
Deputies were canvassing the area when they saw the suspect moving around. Deputies asked the suspect to show his hands. He slowly lifted one hand and was attempting to raise the second hand when deputies saw a gun and began shooting. They may have fired as many as 100 rounds.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said the suspect had the Smith & Wesson gun of K-9 Deputy Matt Williams, who was shot and killed by the suspect Thursday.
Numerous authorities searched for the suspect throughout the day Thursday and Friday morning. They went shoulder-to-shoulder through
Ramclaim was killed shortly before 10 a.m. Friday.
extremely thick brush in the woods. It may have been the largest manhunt in Central Florida history.
During a news conference held Friday morning, Judd said the man being sought, believed to be Eswardo Ramclaim, had three aliases, including "Anglo Freeland, Andrew Cloxton and Alex Cloxton."
Judd said their information is Ramclaim, 32, is from Miami and had contacts in Polk County. He said it's possible he was involved with illegal narcotics. He was also believed to be a skilled shooter.
Two cell phones were also recovered from the rented vehicle.
SWAT team members and law enforcement throughout Central Florida assisted with the search.
Traffic stop turns tragic
Judd said the incident began when Deputy Doug Speirs attempted to stop a vehicle for speeding on North Wabash Avenue at about 11:45 a.m. Thursday. The driver, who said he didn't have a driver's license, gave Speirs a false ID.
Judd said the suspect asked if he was going to be arrested and the deputy said he didn't know yet. Speirs had called for backup already, and tried to stall the suspect by saying it was a hot day and he didn't
Williams, 39, joined the force in 1994; he leaves behind a wife and three children.
want to make a trip to the jail. The suspect then ran into nearby woods.
Williams arrived as backup for Speirs and the two men searched the woods for the suspect, who shot at the deputies, killing Williams. Judd believes Williams died almost immediately. A K-9 officer, a German Shepherd named Diogi, also was killed. It's possible the suspect was bitten by the police dog before killing the animal.
Williams was married with three children, a 19-year-old son and twin 16-year-old girls. The day Williams died was the birthday of his wife, Nancy. Williams, who was shot multiple times, had worked for the sheriff's office for 12 years.
Speirs, a six-year-veteran of the sheriff's office, was hit in the leg. He has been released from Lakeland Regional Medical Center and is recovering at home.
A Lakeland police officer later shot at the suspect, but it's not known if he was hit. The officer was not injured.
A perimeter of two to three square miles stretching from Memorial Boulevard to I-4 was set up.
All Hillsborough County schools were put on a modified lockdown Friday, but that lockdown has been lifted.
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