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Deadly Manhunt Ends With Capture In Plant City

By KEITH MORELLI | The Tampa Tribune
An effort by more than 400 law enforcement officers from local, county and state agencies paid off late this afternoon.

The search for a slaying suspect that paralyzed Plant City for most of the day and led to the death of a bystander ended shortly before 3:45 p.m. with the capture of 25-year-old Fransisco Rangel.

The uninjured and unarmed man was captured by a deputy who spotted him walking between two houses near Tever and Collins streets.

Deputies continued to sweep the neighborhood, searching for weapons Rangel was thought to have been carrying.

The manhunt shut down streets, locked down schools and even forced the cancellation of the annual Christmas parade, a Plant City tradition.

He was charged with one count each of first-degree murder and second-degree murder. He also faces five counts of attempted first-degree murder of a law enforcement officer, one count of attempted murder and four counts of shooting at, within or into a vehicle. He remained without bail in Orient Road Jail today.

The day began shortly after sun-up with a shootout involving five Hillsborough County sheriff's detectives and Rangel, who was wanted in connection with a slaying Thursday, authorities said. One of the bullets found a bystander, killing him, police said.

A dragnet fell over much of the town in the area of Interstate 4 and Wheeler Street. Deputies went door to door looking for Rangel, a reputed gang member.

No deputies were injured in this morning's gunfire, though "they came within an inch of losing their lives," sheriff's Maj. Harold Winsett said. The gunman fired at least 17 shots at the detectives from an AK-47 rifle. The number of shots fired by detectives was unknown, he said.

Detectives spotted a white Ford Expedition driven by Rangel about 7:45 a.m. and gave chase.

Winsett said the chase stopped abruptly. Rangel "slammed on his brakes, exited the vehicle and fired several more times at our detectives," Winsett said. "The detectives returned fire, and the subject got back in the vehicle and continued to flee."

One of the patrol cars was hit six times, and two others were hit at least three times each, deputies said.

A passer-by pulled up to deputies at the scene after the gunman fled. In the car was a passenger who had been hit by a bullet, Winsett said.

The gunshot victim, Candelario Lagunes, 58, was taken to Lakeland Regional Medical Center, where he died, Winsett said. "He was hit by one of the rounds fired by the suspect."

Deputies then focused their search on a wide area near Wheeler Street and Interstate 4 where he last was seen, Winsett said.

He was taken into custody just two blocks from where his abandoned vehicle was found this morning.

Frank LaBarbera, the co-chairman of the Plant City Christmas Parade said parade officials would meet early next week to see whether the parade could be rescheduled. A decision could then be made.

A warrant was issued Thursday for Rangel, whose last known address was in Plant City, after a shooting in which one man was killed. A second man was recuperating from wounds at a local hospital, authorities said. The warrant charges Rangel murder and attempted murder.

Killed in the shooting, which occurred shortly after 1 p.m. Thursday, was Michael James Longoria, 36, whose body was found in the backyard of a home at 3506 Juanita drive.

The 29-year-old unidentified man was shot in the abdomen, deputies said. His wounds were not life-threatening.

This morning, school officials said they had locked down all public schools in the Plant City area, including seven elementary schools, four middle schools, one high school and a career center.

Rangel's sister-in-law, Leticia Rangel, 39, said, "I don't understand what's happening. I always thought he was fine.

"He was always good," she said. "I used to live with him when he was a child. He was good. I can't believe what's happening."

Rangel was prosecuted in Arizona and Florida in 2004 on federal charges of transporting illegal immigrants, according to federal court records. He received a prison sentence of 16 months and three years of probation after time served. He later was sentenced to an additional 9 months for violating probation, records show.

Jared Ryals was acquainted with Rangel.

"He was always trying to hang out with all the gangbangers," Ryals said. "I seen the picture on the news, and I'm like, 'I know that guy.' I used to see him in Dover all the time. I guess now the world has gone crazy, man."