LAKELAND, Fla.-
More than 500 police officers used night-vision scopes and tracking dogs to hunt through thick woods for a man who shot two sheriff’s deputies, killing one of them.
Deputy Vernon Matthew Williams was killed in a burst of gunfire Thursday as he pursued the suspect, who had fled from a traffic stop, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said.
Nine hours into the massive manhunt, Judd held up a photo of the suspect at a news conference. He said the name and address on the suspect’s Florida ID were probably bogus, but the gunman’s face was identified by Deputy Douglas Speirs, who made the traffic stop and was shot in the leg moments after Williams was killed.
Williams, 39, probably died instantly, Judd said.
“He was shot multiple times. I don’t believe he felt a thing,” he said.
Speirs, 39, was treated for a gunshot wound to the leg and released Thursday evening, Judd said.
Speirs had stopped the gunman for speeding in north Lakeland near Interstate 4 and became suspicious of the man’s identification. The gunman got nervous and bolted into the woods, Judd said.
Speirs pursued him and called for backup. Williams arrived and they began working their way into the woods, Judd said.
As the officers tracked him, there was a “burst of gunfire” that is believed to have killed Williams and his police dog, Judd said. Speirs returned fire and was shot.
The suspect later exchanged gunfire with a Lakeland police detective who was at a home warning residents to stay inside. No one was hit.
“We won’t rest,” Judd said of the manhunt. “We are prepared for a gunfight if he wants a gunfight. Or we’re prepared to take him in peaceably if he has any sense at all.”
A $40,000 reward was being offered for information leading to the gunman’s arrest.
Officers arrived en masse from other counties to assist in the search. Some drove for several hours to get to the scene, about 35 miles east of Tampa.
Judd said 10,000 to 15,000 people live in the area. Officers were going house to house Thursday in some areas asking people to lock themselves inside. Three schools were locked down for several hours.
Williams had been with the sheriff’s office since April 1994. He had a wife and three children.
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