BREAKING NEWS: SHOOTING In LAKELAND, FL 41 MILES NEAR WDW 2 cops and a K-9 dogs

[GrinGrinnyGhosts]

Shooting, manhunt near Florida school
Suspect sought in shooting of two deputies in Lakeland

LAKELAND, Fla. - Police were searching for a suspect who shot two sheriff’s deputies Thursday, authorities said.

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

A hospital spokeswoman referred questions about the deputies to the sheriff’s office.

The shooting occurred near Kathleen High School, which was locked down, Wood said. A woman who would identify herself only as Mrs. Platt said students were locked in their classrooms and were safe.

Television video footage showed armed police with shields searching a wooded area with traffic backed up on nearby Interstate 4 in the town about 35 miles east of Tampa. A law enforcement helicopter flew over the area, and armed officers were seen surrounding a ramshackle building.

 

[Disneyland1084]

That's so sad.

 

[mmouse37]

Our prayers to the officers shot....It was just report that I-4 is backed up from Tampa to Orlando....hope no one was trying to get to the Disney Wonder today from that area....

 

[lillygator]

this is near my mom's house and she is home today.

 

[megan4777]

What the hell is wrong with people?

 

[GrinGrinnyGhosts]

LAKELAND, Fla. — Florida police on Thursday were searching for one suspect who shot two Polk County sheriff's deputies.

The deputies were taken to Lakeland Regional Hospital following the early afternoon shooting, said sheriff spokeswoman Donna Wood. She didn't know their conditions.

Two Polk county schools, Kathleen High School and McKeel Academy, are both in lockdown after the shootings, FOX News has learned.

The shooting occurred in north Lakeland, Fla., near a high school. The suspect police are hunting was described as a black male wearing a white shirt with dreadlocks, who may still have a shotgun. Police said the incident began when the deputies made a routine traffic stop.

The suspect showed police a fake ID, then asked if he was going to be arrested. One of the deputies said "I don't know," then the suspect ran into the nearby woods. The two deputies and a canine dog pursued the suspect, and around 12:30 p.m. ET, "numerous" shots were fired, said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd.

 

[safetymom]

http://www.wftv.com/news/9955988/detail.html

 

[Virgo10]

Oh dear. We are watching the news and they said one of the officers and the dog are both dead. Senseless and madness.

That area of Lakeland is about 20 miles from here. Prayers to all affected by this.

 

[GrinGrinnyGhosts]

Florida Police Search for Man Who Shot 2 Sheriff's Deputies, Killing 1 of Them, and Police Dog
Deputy dies in shooting near Florida schools
Manhunt continues for suspect accused of shooting of 2 officers, police dog

BREAKING NEW
Updated: 4:39 p.m. ET Sept. 28, 2006

LAKELAND, Fla. - Police were searching for a suspect who killed one deputy and wounded another Thursday, authorities said.

The deputies were taken to a hospital following the shooting just before noon in north Lakeland, Sheriff Grady Judd said.

The shooting occurred near Kathleen High School, which was locked down, officials said. Two others schools farther away from the scene also were locked down.
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A woman at Kathleen High School, who would identify herself only as Mrs. Platt, said students were locked in their classrooms and were safe.

The students will remain on campus until officials approve their release, school district spokeswoman Leah Lauderdale said.

The suspect was first approached in a traffic stop, but he then fled into a wooded area when the officer began asking him about his identity, Judd said. The officer and a backup deputy who arrived seconds later chased him into the woods.

Wooded area searched
Shots were fired, and the two deputies and a police dog were hit, he said.

The suspect exchanged fire with more officers again shortly afterward when they approached a house in the wooded area, but he got away again, Judd said.

"Listen to me folks," Judd said in a news conference. "We will find him. We will bring him to justice. The sooner the better."

Authorities cordoned off a large area around the gunman's car, but had not ordered any residential evacuations. Helicopters circled in wide arcs as emergency vehicles raced up and down local roads.

About four hours after the shooting, a dozen cruisers from the neighboring Hillsborough County arrived at the search area.

Television video footage showed armed officers with shields searching a wooded area with traffic backed up on nearby Interstate 4, which runs near the city about 35 miles east of Tampa.

 

[Pooh_Friend#1]

How sad, prayers for the family of the fallen officer. People are so messed up.

 

[julie_yet]

I'm a little freaked out at the moment because my niece is a freshman at Kathleen Highschool. I've been glued to the tv all afternoon.

 

[goldcupmom]

I just spoke with both of my Niece's who teach in Lakeland. They said local news is asking people to stay inside if at all possible as they thing suspect may have left the immediate area. This was local and they weren't sure if it was accurate. The schools are still in lockdown.

 

[Aidensmom]

this is near my mom's house and she is home today.

It is near my mom's house and my grandmother's also.

 

[catycatcat4]

omg my school is neer bye there thats what that dude was talking about in the caf at lunch afew hours ago

 

[LuvN~Travel]

A very similar situation happened here today as well. A policeman had stopped a car here, and one of the guys he stopped wound up shooting the policeman in the face. They quickly got one of the suspects, but are still hunting for the second one. They also had some of the schools nearby on lockdown like Lakeland did.
When I left work today at 5:00 I could see the helicopter circling above the area near where I work. So I know they were still searching then.
These two shootings, both here and In Lakeland sure have been the main topic around here today.
Kim

Here's one of our local news stations that is covering it.
http://wsfa.com/

 

[julie_yet]

At 7pm they moved the kids to a church about a mile away where parents could pick them up.

My sister has been waiting in line for my niece since 7:30. She said it's a circus. On the news they said they were releasing students alphabetically but I'm not sure how that's supposed to work if some parents can't even get to the church yet. BTW, my niece's last name begins with a B so if she's still not released yet I feel bad for the kids at the end of the alphabet.

 

[Aidensmom]

Traffic in that area is apparantly still really bad too...talked to my mom earlier. The aide in her classroom had kids at one of the schools, as well as several other staff members at the school she teaches at, and of course they all were very distracted. This situation really is affecting the whole town, and putting many in fear. I hope they catch this guy quick.

 

[julie_yet]

I hope they catch this guy quick.

Ditto! As more time passes the more uneasy I feel because he could be anywhere by now. I live less then 10 minutes from where it happened and I've been checking my locks all night.

 

[reeeoga]

Shots have been fired near the area the cops are looking. Time 9:35 local (8:35 my time).

Officer was on Fox News as shots fired.

 

[safetymom]

SWAT Team shoots, kills hiding suspect
Friday, September 29, 2006


Judd provided details about the killing of the suspect.
View video now.


SWAT Team members 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, Eswardo Ramclaim, 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 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. 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.