LAKELAND, Fla. — Two Lakeland Police Detectives narrowly escaped a harrowing encounter on Tuesday, August 27, 2024, when a routine surveillance operation turned into a life-threatening ambush.
On Tuesday, August 27, 2024, around 5:00 p.m., two Lakeland Police Detectives were surveilling the 1800 block of Plateau Village Drive when they encountered an unexpected and dangerous situation.
While parked in their unmarked police vehicle, the detectives were approached by 18-year-old Arthur Jared Williams, who was not the target of their surveillance. Williams was accompanied by Abdul Milik Littles, 22, who was driving a red Nissan Maxima.
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The detectives were clearly identifiable as law enforcement, wearing shirts with prominent police insignias, along with badges, duty weapons, and other police equipment. Despite this, Williams walked up to the police vehicle, looked inside, and asked the detectives if they had any marijuana. Realizing their surveillance had been compromised, the detectives quickly took photographs of Williams and Littles before leaving the area.
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Shortly after, around 5:45 p.m., the detectives were patrolling the 1100 block of Atlantic Avenue when they spotted the same red Nissan Maxima. Williams and Littles were standing next to the vehicle. As the detectives drove past, Williams pointed his fingers at them, mimicking the action of firing a gun.
Moments later, one of the detectives observed Williams in the rearview mirror holding a handgun, and then Williams opened fire on the police vehicle. The vehicle was struck five times. Video surveillance from the area later revealed that Williams fired his weapon 15 times before fleeing the scene with Littles in the Maxima.
An intense search for the suspects was immediately launched with the assistance of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and other law enforcement agencies.
On Wednesday at 1:25 a.m., Williams and Littles were located at a residence in Tampa. The two suspects attempted to evade capture by calling for an Uber to distance themselves from the vehicle.
However, law enforcement intercepted the Uber during a traffic stop, and both suspects were taken into custody. The Uber driver cooperated fully with authorities and it was revealed that the suspects were attempting to return to an address on Plateau Avenue in Lakeland.
Williams was arrested and charged with two counts of Attempted Murder of a Law Enforcement Officer in the 2nd Degree (with a firearm) and two counts of Shooting Into an Occupied Vehicle. Littles was arrested on unrelated charges by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, though he remains a suspect in the case and additional charges may be forthcoming. Both suspects were transported to the Hillsborough County Jail.
Investigators have confirmed that Williams was fully aware that the individuals he fired upon were law enforcement officers.
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