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Suspect Had 'Nowhere To Run'

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By GEORGE H. NEWMAN

gnewman@tampatrib.com

Published: December 17, 2008

PLANT CITY - More than 400 heavily armed law enforcement officers from at least eight agencies joined forces Dec. 5 to capture a suspect in separate shootings that killed two Plant City residents.

Around 3:40 that afternoon, Hillsborough County sheriff's Deputy Walter Brown apprehended Fransisco Rangel after spotting the suspect moving between two vacant homes at the corner of North Collins and East Tever streets, just north of the city's historic residential district.
Rangel was the focus of a manhunt launched about 9:30 a.m., when he allegedly initiated a shootout with sheriff's detectives on James L. Redman Parkway, in front of the Strawberry Plaza shopping center, near Henry Avenue.
Rangel was wanted in connection with the slaying of Michael Longoria and the shooting of a second man the previous day at 3506 Juanita Drive. The wounded man, whose name has not been released by authorities, was shot in the abdomen and is expected to recover.

Detectives were trailing Rangel through town, attempting to pull him over, when he suddenly stopped his vehicle, exited and fired 17 rounds at the detectives. One bullet struck and killed Candelario Lagunes, 58, of Plant City, a passenger in a passing car.
Rangel disabled two police vehicles with gunfire and fled north on Redman Parkway in his Ford Expedition. He drove through the historic downtown, continuing into the historic residential area on North Collins Street.

"It hasn't been determined why, but Rangel abandoned his vehicle at the corner of Collins and Calhoun streets," said Plant City Police Chief Bill McDaniel. "Whether his vehicle was disabled by returned fire or he saw he was boxed in by responding police in unclear."
Rangel left in his vehicle the high-powered rifle allegedly used to fire on police in the vehicle. It was unclear whether Rangel was armed with a handgun when he ran north, McDaniel said.

"Rangel was seen earlier with a tote bag that could have hidden a handgun," said Plant City Police Capt. John Borders. "A handgun may have been used in the Thursday shootings."

Within minutes, using patrol officers, detectives and street crimes personnel, Plant City police set up two perimeter rings. It wasn't long before sheriff's office helicopters and dozens of patrol swept into the Plant City area.

Plant City police Capt. Carl Lane said the rapid saturation helped drive Rangel into hiding. "What worked in our favor was once he got on foot he had to hide," Lane said. "He had nowhere to run. We had him surrounded. He knew it before we did."

In addition to the Plant City Police Department and Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, agencies aiding in the search included the Polk County Sheriff's Office, U.S. Marshals Service, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, CSX railroad police and the Florida Highway Patrol.

Hillsborough County Sheriff David Gee said he had about 250 deputies and detectives assigned to the search.

Chief McDaniel said Plant City provided about 60 officers, including the department's Emergency Response Team. Many officers were armed with high-powered semi-automatic rifles or shotguns, plus other lethal and less-than-lethal weapons. Most wore protective vests and helmets with face shields.

The perimeter police established ran along the north-south railroad tracks, just east of the neighborhood where Rangel abandoned his vehicle.

"We had canine units search the train and its cargo before allowing it to pass through the area," McDaniel said. "We had well-armed and deployed armored personnel in the woods and all around the areas where suspicious activity was reported," McDaniel said. "If Rangel went into the woods on the north side of Tever Street, he didn't stay there long."

At 3:40 p.m., with the police presence stronger than ever and growing, Gee was conducting a news conference at the corner of North Palmer and East Herring streets. His televised update was interrupted by sheriff's personnel reporting Rangel was in custody. The vigil and door-to-door search was over.

Subsequent searches by officers using dogs failed to recover weapons or other items linked to Rangel, sheriff's officials said.

Reporter George H. Newman can be reached at (813) 865-4451.

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