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Angilo Freeland (courtesy kansascity.com)

Remember the good old days, when cops were always the good guys and bad guys got what they deserved? Before Johnny Law dressed up in military camo, fired-up the MRAP, loaded-up his full-auto rifle and rang the local judge for a no-knock warrant for a local meth head. Back in the day, older folks and mass media regaled young lads with stories of courageous law enforcement officers. Here’s one from snopes.com dated, surprisingly, 2006 . . .

As [police dog] DiOGi closed on the suspect’s hiding place, Freeland shot the dog in the chest from close range at an upward angle, killing it. He then fired on nearby Deputy Williams, wounding him in the right wrist, left bicep, rear left thigh, right leg, right buttock, and upper right arm. One of the shots penetrated to the officer’s spine. Freeland then approached the immobilized man and delivered two shots to Williams’ head at point-blank range, finishing him off.

Deputy Speirs heard the shots from a nearby ridge, moved towards the sounds of the gunfire, and was shot at by Freeland. The two exchanged fire, and the deputy was wounded in the leg. He radioed for help and made his way out of the woods.

Every available unit and canine team descended on the area. Freeland briefly appeared at the perimeter of the woods to fire at the officers but then took cover again. He dug in under another fallen oak tree and hid there. Later that afternoon the body of 39-year-old Deputy Williams, a father of three, was found and carried from the wooded area. Officers noted that the slain man’s gun and ammo were missing.

Freeland remained under the oak tree overnight, where a 10-member SWAT team found him the next morning. When they saw Freeland raise his right hand clutching a gun (one they would later learn belonged to the dead deputy), nine of the ten officers fired, hitting him with 68 of 110 shots. Freeland was dead at the scene.

Afterwards, when called upon by the media to make a statement about the manhunt and its outcome, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd explained: “You have to understand, he had already shot and killed a deputy, he had already shot and killed a K-9, and he shot and injured another deputy. Quite frankly, we weren’t taking any chances.” Sheriff Judd was variously reported as adding, “That’s all the bullets we had or we would have shot him more.”

The FBI and DOJ launched the now usual investigation into the Angilo Freeland case and determined the shoot was A-OK, civil rights-wise. No riots ensued. Somehow I don’t think officer Darren Wilson will get the same treatment. And if he does, Ferguson will burn. IMHO.

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106 COMMENTS

  1. Ferguson is in fact going to burn. Nothing short of hanging Wilson in the streets will be enough to appease those who want his blood.

  2. They only had 110 rounds? I remember this case very well. I would have gladly loaned the police a few hundred rounds, and a couple of rifles if that would have helped. The cops couldn’t kill that b@stard enough as far as I’m concerned.

    • + 1 (with a caveat) if they had 110 rounds and 68 hit the target, where did the others hit?

      If you make the average police officer expend (his percentage of) that many rounds, that poor officer was stressing, and they were by circumstance espoused of the idea of no other option.

      • The murderer Freeland was behind concealment and some cover when Five-0 opened up on him. Under the circumstances, the 60%+ hit ratio was not bad.

      • “If you make the average police officer expend (his percentage of) that many rounds, that poor officer was stressing, and they were by circumstance espoused of the idea of no other option.”

        I’ve read that sentence several times now, and cannot make heads or tails of it. Is it just me? Should I seek medical attention?

    • I also remember this case as I was passing through Florida at the time. There was audio of the shooting and it sounded like a mad minute exercise. The Sheriff was interviewed by an intrepid reporter who breathlessly asked the obvious question, “Why did the officers shoot one hundred times?” To which the sheriff replied matter of factly, “They ran out of bullets.”

  3. Ferguson will not burn if the LEOs there use deadly force against rioters.

    In fact, it would be over PDQ. And probably drop the town’s crime rate a little as a fringe benefit.

    John

    • The Israelis are experimenting with a water cannon solution called “Skunk” I believe, that might work on Ferguson rioters if violence occurs once again. It leaves a terrible smell on Palestinian rioters for a couple of days. I think it is an excellent way of dispersing rioters. However, I would enhance the solution with some “honey” from a local hog confinement manure pit and an enhancement that would cause the rioters to itch madly for a couple of days as well. Perfect solution – non-lethal, inexpensive, effective, quick acting, and is the gift that keeps on giving (for a couple of days at least).

        • The pOlice may not be needed once the enhanced “skunk” solution is employed. I suspect those with whom the rioters live will administer some of their own justice that may be more severe than what the pOlice administered

        • I’m thinking the Israelis should just give the system to Fergusen, the Palestinians probably haven’t noticed it, think they’re playing in the fire hydrant.

        • EXTREMELY good point. I guess that if you blend itchy stuff in the stinky stuff, you will know the Palestinian terrorists by all the scratching they are doing.

        • Good suggestion. Now our solution includes:
          1. Skunk – smelly stuff derived by Israelis
          2. Liquid manure with some solids from a hog confinement system
          3. Itchy stuff
          4. Bright yellow dye

          I certainly a few law enforcement agencies are reading this blog and taking note of a practical solution (literally) to ornery crowds. Be the 1st agency out there with this and win a Nobel Peace Prize. President Obama says it is lonely at the top having received his prize before he even did anything (which turned out to be NOTHING!).

    • Ferguson burned, but the people who lit most of the fires weren’t from Ferguson. Maybe Ferguson will burn again, but maybe it won’t. Either way, if the people of Ferguson don’t care, then why should anybody?

    • Deadly force dredges up too many memories of Kent State to us old enough to remember. Unless the rioters are shooting, less than lethal force needs to be applied. There are effective ways to control rioters, but police need to have the flexibility to be innovative. They also now have to keep in mind what the Department of Justice (Atty. Gen. Eric Holder) will tolerate.

    • The only effective agent you can spray or drop on rioters is napalm. Why we don’t is a law enforcement mystery. Again, the crime rate would suddenly drop, including in surrounding counties.

    • You think summary street executions would quell protest and rioting? It was the mere perception of that which sparked the protests and riots in the first place. Actual street executions, particularly caught on camera, would not only provoke additional unrest, it would likely do so in other cities and states.

  5. I remember this case, the criminal apologists and so called civil libertarians pitched a fit over Judd`s remarks. Wish that many more murderers would meet that end. Society wont have to wait 15 years for a execution.

    • I would agree, except that there is always that “slippery slope” caveat, even as justified as it was to hammer Freeland with every available round.

    • Not applicable to this case, but whatever happened to “right of trial by jury”? Are we to just skip ahead right to the execution? We talk about “small government” yet are gleeful when police kill a citizen before a trial?
      You don’t see any problems with this?

      • Had the citizen surrendered instead of murdering a cop and injuring another he would have had his day in court. This was not a man reaching for his wallet cut down by a nervous cop.

        What happened was on him. Stupid people playing stupid games…….

      • This was not a police execution. It was self defense. And as you noted, “fair trial” concerns were not applicable to this situation because of the way it occurred. It was a firefight.

        Cops shouldn’t execute people, but they should have the same right of self defense as I do.

        • Reread the first 5 words.

          I agree that police have a right to self-defense, everyone does. But the issue comes that police are agents of the state and have been granted authority over the public. If we are to call ourselves a free society, we need to make DAMN sure that authority is held strictly accountable. One of the biggest problems to this is “professional courtesy” and unions. There’s no easy answer and I won’t pretend that I have them all, but every citizen needs to consider the ramifications of handing more and more power, including the power of violence, to the state and it’s agents.

        • Sounds like part self defense and party execution. Kinda like a spontaneously justified firing squad. Good shoot. Chance of recidivism: 0%.

      • If his hands had been empty when the SWAT officers approached, sure, but he raised a weapon at them after proving previously he had absolutely no reservations about using it.

        • I get what you are saying, Dirty Harry in Magnum ‘Force commenting on Star Chambers resulting in today we gun down a crime boss and tomorrow we gun down a little old lady for jay walking. As you stated that it may not be applicable to this situation. Flame away!

      • I have the right carry a gun. I choose to do so. I have the right to go to any church. I choose not to. Freeland had the right to trial by jury. He chose to fight it out instead.

        • In the world of zero tolerance and always seeking the lowest common denominator (or any common denominator, really)…that is, seeking and defining bright line rules for judgment calls, it’s a fair question and discussion to have.

          If we lived in a culture that rewarded free thinking as much as it claims to, it would be less of an issue. We could then more easily separate this case from others.

          But, we don’t. We live in a culture that seeks to codify every moment of life. Look, for example, as the sweeping, broad stroke generalizations posted yesterday about an 11 year old hunting.

        • “Wish that many more murderers would meet that end.”

          Because of this line. It raises many concerns. The primary being “how do we know if an individual is a murderer if they have not been tried in court?”

          The more we cheerlead the state flexing its power over the public, the more we will fall victim to that power.

      • I’ve reread the first 5 words….multiple times. If it’s not applicable to this case, maybe this isn’t the best forum for your diatribe.

        • So I’m supposed to wait for someone to make the same comment “Wish that many more murderers would meet that end. ” on a post where the police kill someone who was not an aggressor and who did not have a trial? Seriously, try a little thinking.

        • “So I’m supposed to wait for someone to make the same comment “Wish that many more murderers would meet that end. ” on a post where the police kill someone who was not an aggressor and who did not have a trial?”

          If you don’t want to look like a single-issue nutjob trying to crowbar your pet cause into unrelated discussions, it would help. Oh, and would you kindly do us all a favor? Don’t condescend to us when you’re the only one who isn’t making any sense.

        • A discussion on the use of deadly force by police on a post about deadly force by police is completely germane to the subject. Stop trying to pretend otherwise. But please continue to avoid addressing the meat of the discussion and instead try to discredit the messenger.

        • “As [police dog] DiOGi closed on the suspect’s hiding place, Freeland shot the dog in the chest from close range at an upward angle, killing it. He then fired on nearby Deputy Williams, wounding him in the right wrist, left bicep, rear left thigh, right leg, right buttock, and upper right arm. One of the shots penetrated to the officer’s spine. Freeland then approached the immobilized man and delivered two shots to Williams’ head at point-blank range, finishing him off.”

          here’s the “first five” SENTENCES ……AGAIN…..

  8. “He then fired on nearby Deputy Williams, wounding him in the right wrist, left bicep, rear left thigh, right leg, right buttock, and upper right arm. One of the shots penetrated to the officer’s spine.”

    Not to go off topic, but it seems the ex-perp was a good shot.

  9. Reminds me of a case in my town. Three officers fired 38 shot at a young man who had just robbed a local bank branch, and although they had a better than 50% hit rate, several rounds were fliers that struck vehicles and buildings hundreds of feet away. When I suggested to a Marshal that 38 rounds sounded a bit excessive, he responded, “Not enough.” Which is typical: although police shootings here are uncommon, almost all involve shooting to slide lock.

  10. Why are you using race baiting and anti cop titles in your blog posts? I don’t know if your looking for anarchy by pissing off a bunch of leftists or if you are looking for people that actually think this was somehow evil cops over killing innocent civilians. Of course when you have a dozen cops with their guns trained on a suspect and he points a gun at them and they all have semi auto pistols with at least 15 rounds in each gun it would only take two seconds for all the cops to fire every round in their magazines simultaneously. I can unload 18 rounds from my S&W M&P 9 in about 1.5 seconds and that isn’t even bump firing.

    • ” I can unload 18 rounds from my S&W M&P 9 in about 1.5 seconds”

      orly?!

      So you’re shooting .08 splits over 18 rounds?

      C’mon dude, why would you even say some sh*t like that on a gun blog?

      Either you’re just making up numbers or you’re the most operationally operating operator ever to operate.

      I’m going w/ the former.

      • For all you non operational operators out there (no offense Alpo, although it is kind of funny that you go all techno babble on the guy whilst making fun of him for “operating”)…. Keith E Whisman alleges he can shoot his semi automatic handgun almost as fast as a full auto M4 carbine (18 rounds/ 1.5seconds = 12rounds per second M4 carbine = 20)

      • You guys are just being mean again. I’d think, on a gun blog whose title mentions “truth”, it would be easy to simply assume he misplaced the decimal. Clearly, he meant “15 seconds”. So now apologize.

  11. Because that is totally the exact same situation as the one in Ferguson.

    Come on, you’re more rational and reasonable than this.

    • It appears the issue being addressed is “over-reaction”.

      An argument could me made on that basis regarding Freeland due to passage of time on scene. Not so in Wilson’s case where he was responding to an immediate threat after receiving very significant, disabling injury.

      • What injury was that? No “disabling” injury has been 100% confirmed, instead we get conflicting reports about the eye socket injury.

        • Just curious, but since it has “come out” about that particular injury, do you have a credible source stating it is NOT true?

          Since you are making the claim of conflicting reports, I’d like to see/read both sides, please. Links?

        • Obviously it was not disabling, thank goodness, or the punk might still be wasting air. But pretending this was a murder is just idiotic, regardless of your posturing.

        • “That was hard.”

          Lighten up, man. This snark does not become you. I’m not going to go out and do a Google search for every claim someone makes in a comment.

          YOU brought it up. Perhaps try could posting the link in the comment where you first mention it. That would not be hard, either.

          Less sarcasm; more helpful discussion. Eh?

          Now, to the meat of it. There’s nothing in the pages linked that says Wilson was not injured. Those links attack the truthfulness of the photograph.

          That Wilson was injured is not directly in conflict – that is, there is no evidence supporting that he was NOT injured (a faked or misrepresented photo is not evidence of no injury). Even snopes admits that he was taken to the hospital and that the report of that visit has not been officially released.

          Soooooo, he was taken to the hospital but we don’t know if the report of the injury is correct or not.

          An interesting take:

          http://youngcons.com/michael-browns-attorney-confronted-about-if-officer-wilson-had-facial-injuries/

          I’m not saying whether he was or was not injured. I’m saying you have not provided proof that there are conflicting reports. The photo is separate issue from whether or not the injuries existed.

          Further, that photo, to my knowledge, was never part of the official reporting of the injuries. It “is being shared on social media sites” according to

          http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/943637-darren-wilson-photo-picture-of-broken-eye-socket-is-fake/

          Also, snopes states that the photo and discussion of it appeared in emails and “well-trafficked social media users began to circulate the photo.”

          Therefore, photo != official discussion. In fact, your mention of it by posting that link is the first I have heard of that photo.

  14. 9 of 10 members in the SWAT team only had 110 rounds? That’s an average of about 12 rounds per officer. To me that sounds like they were using 10 round magazines and only two of them had a spare to reload with. I would think a SWAT team would carry more than an average of 12 rounds per officer.

        • Here’s the 5-year retrospective In my little sh!thole town, Lakeland, Florida:

          http://www.theledger.com/article/20110927/NEWS/110929375

          “A reporter asked Judd what he would tell people wondering why Freeland was shot 68 times.

          “I would tell them I guess we ran out of ammunition,” Judd said.

          The comment drew considerable attention and some criticism.

          “I meant it then, and I mean it right now,” Judd said. “I have absolutely no misgivings about it.”

          It is said the most dangerous real estate on planet earth lies between a television camera and Sheriff Grady Judd.

          This is the same town where last year a LPD non-sworn crime analyst was found to rutting with about 20 of her department’s sworn officers on and off the clock. And she is no beauty.

          If you hear something outrageous about Polk County or Grady Judd, there’s a good chance it’s true.

      • Not urban legend at all. The sheriff even made up t-shirts with that slogan on it. My wife wears it occasionally. Pretty ballsy but nonetheless awesome!

    • 110 rounds sounds like a good start for a good day at the range, 10 shooters not so much
      The BG was a known killer.
      As far as rounds fired, what were the shooters supposed to do, draw straws for who shoots first when armed BG pops up and your #2 and possibly you’re 1st loser?
      Shoot

  16. To the people up top advocating murdering people in Ferguson, I hope you guys don’t call yourselves Christians and majority of you people are making this a race thing…it’s not about race but INJUSTICE to anyone. I’m young and black and not criminal. So stop grouping everybody from a particular race into one group. I can say that all white people are mass murderers, that all middle eastern/ Muslims are terrorists, etc but that wouldn’t be true.

      • And they wonder why more minorities aren’t joining pro-2A groups…

        I’ve heard a crap ton of anti-white diatribe by black people, seen racially-motivated beatings by blacks against whites, and I still support the rights of black people. See how that works?

    • Heck, I haven’t seen ANYONE here “make this a race thing”, except possibly you! Elsewhere, Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson, for sure, but few others. And who told you we even care if you are young or black? A very large man violently attacked a police officer without provocation, and was shot to death as a result. End of story, nothing to see, until some EVIDENCE that is not true arrives. And colors of skins, cars, guns, none matter a whit.

  18. Angilo Freeland – illegal alien – deserved every bullet he got…and then some. It was clear to every officer there, that this guy had no intention of being taken alive. So, the officers had to obliged him.

    This happened in my back yard….of central Florida….less than 30 minutes from where I live. I may have issues with how too many police treat the people they are sworn to protect and serve, but in this case, they got it 100% right. The funeral procession for Deputy Williams took more than half an hour to pass by.

  19. Oh, wow, I read “police dog”, saw “black guy shot 68 times” and thought it was going to be an analysis of the video (“Black guy shot by cops” and be sure to insert racial slurs in comments section if you go watch it on youtube) where the black guy was sitting on a stoop with his hand concealed, possibly holding a firearm, and when the police released the canine on him, with fair warning, he motioned, he actually decided to move bc a dog was coming to tear him a new *** (imagine that), thus triggering a barrage of bullets which killed him and the police canine. My “favorite” part of the vid is when the canine’s partner picks up his dog in absolute disgust after having it slaughtered by fellow (trigger happy) officers.

    Honestly, the point of this story is to point out that overkills have happened in the past with no riots following? Yah don’t say! How about police brutality, where riots didn’t follow… except for that one time they beat up a suspect instead of just booking him for a DUI which then turns into the case of the decade and the LEOs who blatantly beat a downed suspect are exonerated even though the video evidence proved without a doubt that the force used by officers was excessive. And if that video never existed, well, those officers were simply trying to detain him while he resisted and they would have been exonerate anyway. Say it ain’t so, Joe! I get the overkill, adrenaline takes over and the instinct to fight is to basically do a mag dump, I get it bc I would want to go home to my family & loved ones, not be killed by some scumbag, I would probably do a mag dump too to defend my life, but then I’d be spending life in jail considering I’m in CA. I do wish there was a video or audio of the Ferguson case, it’ll prove it one way or another, though the sentence has already been passed on the streets and mass media rushing to publish a story.

  22. And now the “rest of the story” from Wikipedia:

    In a news story dated June 14, 2007, Gabrielle Finley of TheLedger.com wrote:
    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.”

    But his girlfriend said “he was a good father to his kids.”

  24. If it does burn there’s gonna be way more casualties than the first time. Surprisingly Missouri doesn’t have a Stand Your Ground law but the legislature just authorized open carry; This is an open warning to rioting, violent criminals. People are going to be shooting to defend themselves and their belongings if there’s a replay of last month and you can’t blame them. So riot if you want to but be ready for the consequences.

    • Missouri already was an OC state. What passed was preemption, so local cities can’t override it. I don’t know what Ferguson’s specific laws are, but there was ceretainly some open carry on display during the initial unrest at night.

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