SWAT OFFICER'S SHOT WAS 'NECESSARY' AND JUSTIFIED
EX-NAVY SEAL INTENDED TO FORCE POLICE TO SHOOT HIM

A single shot - fired by a Clearwater SWAT Team member and that killed an armed Tampa man – was "necessary to stop an imminent threat to the lives of police officers," and was a lawful, justified use of force, a Clearwater Police Department Shooting Review Board concluded today.

Sergeant Mark Trulock, a 16-year veteran of the Clearwater Police Department and SWAT Team member since 1991, was found to have abided by all applicable policies and procedures in the June 25 event that ended with the death of 43-year-old Robert Williams of Tampa.

Williams - who made numerous and repeated statements to family members and various witnesses saying he was going to force police to shoot him - armed himself June 25 with a .308 caliber assault rifle, a 12 gauge shotgun, a .40 caliber automatic handgun and a 9-mm automatic handgun before taking three hostages (ultimately released) and barricading himself in Room 7 of the downtown Clearwater 1320 Cleveland Street Regal Motel.

Williams was shot at 2:04 p.m. as he came out of the motel room and pointed a handgun at officers, ending a situation that began almost four hours earlier. An independent Hillsborough County property appraiser who had an unremarkable criminal history, Williams consumed beer and smoked "crack" cocaine during his hours of conversations with a SWAT Negotiator. An autopsy showed signs of both cocaine and alcohol in his body.

Williams, a U.S. Navy veteran (1986-1989), a former Navy SEAL and a weapons expert, argued with his wife on June 21, and left their home around 10:30 p.m. Over the next several days he abused "crack" cocaine at various locations with a number of people, several of whom verified his statements he wanted to end his life.

On Friday, June 25, Clearwater Police were notified by the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office that Robert Williams was en route to Clearwater to force a police officer to shoot him. Williams' car was located shortly thereafter at the Regal Motel, and thus began the chain of events that led to Williams' death.

Thursday's Shooting Review Board's conclusions were based on separate-but-parallel investigations conducted by the Office of Professional Standards (Internal Affairs), which found Sergeant Trulock abided by all Department policies and procedures, and the Criminal Investigations Division (Detective Bureau), which ruled the fatal shot was a justified use of "deadly force."

The Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney's Office conducted its own independent investigation into the shooting and found it occurred "while in the legal performance of Sergeant Trulock's lawful duties."

Sergeant Trulock was, in accordance with department policy, placed on paid Administrative Leave immediately after the event; he has returned to active duty as a Patrol Supervisor.

For additional information pertaining to the Shooting Review Board's findings, please contact Public Information Officer Wayne Shelor at (727)-562-4333.

/s/
Deputy Chief Dewey Williams