TEXAS FUGITIVE CAPTURED:
SUSPECT TAKEN INTO CUSTODY BY SWAT TEAM

A 26-year-old man wanted in connection with a series of violent crimes and a shoot-out in Texas was taken into custody by Clearwater Police this morning. No one was injured during the arrest operation, conducted by the Clearwater Police SWAT Team. The suspect, however, is now hospitalized for treatment of a gunshot wound sustained more than a week ago in Texas.

Arlington, Texas authorities notified Clearwater Police late Thursday of a suspect wanted in a series of violent crimes in Texas. They believed the suspect, BILLYON RAMONE DAVIS (01-22-75), was in the Clearwater area.

Clearwater Police Investigators – working in concert with Texas authorities – narrowed their search to a residential neighborhood in southwest Clearwater, and worked through the night to verify whether Mr. Davis was at a specific address.

Police believed Mr. Davis was staying at a house at 1360 South Madison Avenue, and before dawn today (Friday), they were able to establish that he and a companion, Summer Steanson (07-10-79), were inside the house. Tactical measures and tactics were implemented.

Clearwater investigators worked with the department's SWAT Team, the Criminal Investigations Division and the Patrol Division to quickly move toward arresting Mr. Davis – known to be extremely violent – before he left the house.

At 9:03 this morning, the department's SWAT Team – accompanied by SWAT Medics and augmented by numerous Patrol Division perimeter units – entered the Madison Avenue home and took Mr. Davis into custody. In addition to his female companion, there were two other adults in the house.

The SWAT Team had procured a key to the front door of the house, and as the door was opened, a diversion device – intended to disorient the occupants – was tossed into the living room. The non-lethal device activated at the feet of Mr. Davis, who was sleeping beside Ms. Steanson on an air mattress.

Billyon Davis jumped to his feet as SWAT Officers entered the house, and tried to move away from the Officers, ignoring their repeated orders to stop and drop to the ground. Mr. Davis was taken to the floor where he continued to scream and resist violently, until he was handcuffed.

Once Mr. Davis was in custody, he was examined by SWAT Medics who were aware of a pre-existing bullet wound to his right leg. He was treated by Clearwater Fire Department paramedics before being taken, at 9:37 a.m., to Morton Plant Hospital in Clearwater for examination.

Mr. Davis' companion, Ms. Steanson, was taken to Clearwater Police Headquarters for questioning. The other two occupants of the Madison Avenue house – neither of whom had knowledge of Mr. Davis' criminal posture in Texas – were escorted from the house and waited outside for the duration of the operation.

No shots were fired, the suspect, Mr. Davis, was unarmed, and no one was injured.

It is expected that Mr. Davis will be extradited to Texas in the near future; the Clearwater Police Department has no part in such proceedings.

This is the extent of information available regarding this incident. Questions about Mr. Davis' activities in Texas, the imminent legal proceedings concerning his incarceration and extradition, or Ms. Steanson's standing should be directed to Arlington authorities.

For information pertaining to Clearwater Police activities, please contact Public Information Officer Wayne Shelor at 727-562-4333.

/s/ William O. Baird
Deputy Chief of Police