A man who opened fire on two deputies responding to reports of someone shooting a gun Feb. 2, 2019, was given sentences Friday totaling 35 years in prison, State Attorney Larry Basford announced.
William Kiefer Bradley Egan, 30, was sentenced by Circuit Court Judge Timothy Register to 15 years each on two convictions of Aggravated Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer, and 5 years for Possession of a Bulletproof Vest during the crime. Register ordered that the sentences be served consecutively, or one after the other.
Both deputies who were shot at that day testified at sentencing about how the experience affected them. They said the full repercussions of nearly being shot took time to sink in, but it brought home the reality that there really might be a day they do not return home from a day on the job.
Prosecutor Barbara Beasley, in asking for the maximum sentence, pointed out that the defendant was the one who chose not to seek treatment for his emotional issues and knew what he was doing that day when he armed himself, put on a bulletproof vest, walked out the door “and started shooting up the neighborhood.”
RELATED NEWS: Hutchinson, Chavez, headed to prison for roles in attempted murders
RELATED NEWS: Man who shot victim twice in head, videtaoped himself with body, found guilty
She said that was reinforced by calls the defendant made to his family from jail that were recorded and played in court Friday. They included the defendant making sure people knew what to say and, most importantly to Beasley, included the defendant mocking the deputies he shot at and the Sheriff’s Office.
“When you listen to these jail calls, you hear how he really feels about this case,” Beasley said. “He had no remorse. He was mocking the deputies, he was mocking the Sheriff’s Office, he took no responsibility for his crimes.”
Before publishing his sentence, Judge Register addressed those in court, which included the two deputies who were fired upon as well as family members of the defendant.
“You have all been affected by what happened that day and I’m sorry you were affected the way you were,” Judge Register said to them.
But Register said while the defendant had a troubled youth that was not of his doing and emotional issues, “here you have two law enforcement officers who are confronted by a very angry and upset man with a bulletproof vest on and firing at them.”
Register agreed with Beasley’s statement that law enforcement officers are the community’s frontline defense and that people must be held accountable for their actions.
“Other than someone actually getting shot, I don’t know who if it could’ve been any worse,” he said before handing down his sentence.
Basford thanked the Sheriff’s Office both for its handling of a volatile and potentially deadly situation as well as the case deputies and investigators put together.
For more information, contact Mike Cazalas at mike.cazalas@14sa.fl.gov, or call 850-381-7454.