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Scuffle ends in fatal shooting
By Jacob H. Fries
Published February 21, 2007
CLEARWATER - A 25-year-old Clearwater man was shot to death early Wednesday after fighting a man in the parking lot of the Palmetto Park apartment complex, police said. No arrests had been made and investigators were still trying to determine a motive in the slaying. Julian Kaigler and a friend were standing outside the apartment complex off 1001 Martin Luther King Drive about 2:30 a.m. when two men walked up to them, police spokesman Wayne Shelor said. An argument broke out and Kaigler began struggling with one of the men. Shots rang out, Kaigler fell to the concrete and the two men ran away, perhaps into a dark-colored Cadillac. Clearwater Fire Rescue paramedics treated Kaigler at the scene before taking him to Morton Plant Hospital, Shelor said. He was pronounced dead a short time later. Detectives were interviewing Kaigler's friend, whose name was not made public late Wednesday. Kaigler's death was Clearwater's first homicide of 2007. Kaigler was known affectionately around the apartment complex by two nicknames, King or Rat-Rat, and friends described him as quiet, popular and always sharply dressed. "He dressed well - morning, noon, night, even on bad days," said Vicky Manuel, 26. "He was a good person and didn't mess with nobody. They were jealous of him." Residents gathered on porches to watch crime scene specialists collect evidence from the parking lot. Denise Buckner, 23, and Shamicka Williams, 26, both had known Kaigler for years. They didn't know why anyone would kill him. "Justice will be served," Buckner said. Kaigler "is not going to be able to sleep until we find the killer." Over the years, Kaigler had found himself in trouble with the law. County records show numerous arrests on charges of possessing and selling drugs. He was most recently arrested on charges of marijuana possession and driving without a valid license. He was released from the Pinellas County Jail on Feb. 10. Times staff photographer Douglas R. Clifford contributed to this report. Jacob H. Fries can be reached at 445-4156 or jfries@sptimes.com.
[Last modified February 20, 2007, 21:28:05]
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by KKK
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02/22/07 06:20 PM
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Lets get rid of them all and watch our country return to glory and prosperity. Those people, wink, you know who, for the most part just suck up goverment monies and rob the hard working. Look at their neighborhoods. this isnt africa your nothing here
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by Tony
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02/21/07 10:10 AM
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Sharp dressed young man with nick names such as "king" and "rat rat" is killed. Wonder what that was about? Oh, yes and he was a drug dealer in the past. I think justice may have been served already. Now lets get the shooters and all will be good.
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