Thick Red Line
A man ran from a Polk County, Fla., sheriff’s deputy after being pulled over for speeding. A K-9 unit was called in to search for the man in the thick woods. When K-9 Deputy Sheriff V. Matthew Williams found the suspect, the man shot Williams, making sure he was dead by pumping a final bullet into his head at point-blank range. The police dog was also killed. The first deputy ran toward the gunfire to help his fellow officer, but was taken down by a bullet to his leg. A SWAT team was then brought in which, hours later, found Angilo Freeland, 27, hiding in the woods. “He raised his right arm and had a firearm in it,” said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd. It was Williams’ service pistol, which Freeland had taken from the slain officer. “It was the last thing he ever did” — SWAT officers opened fire. Once the smoke cleared, investigators said that 110 rounds were fired, 68 of which hit Freeland. Why were so many rounds fired? “That’s all the bullets we had, or we would have shot him more,” Judd said. (Orlando Sentinel) ...Justice done, or vigilante execution squad? You be the judge.
Available in This is True: Book Collection Vol. 13