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Drug Suspect Killed By Pasco Deputy During Shootout

News Channel 8 photo by ERIC HAUSMANN

Deputies had mounted an undercover investigation at the home after neighbors had complained about the suspect selling drugs out of the house.

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By KEITH MORELLI | The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 20, 2009

Updated: 02/20/2009 04:37 pm

HOLIDAY - Pasco County sheriff's deputies shot and killed a suspected drug dealer during a shootout early this morning.

A SWAT team had arrived at 3550 Windham Drive at about 5:30 a.m. to serve a search warrant following a months-long investigation, authorities said. That's when a man who lived in the house opened fire, said Sheriff Bob White, who was at the home.

The man, Luther K. Hudson, was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

Deputies had mounted an undercover investigation at the home after neighbors had complained about the suspect selling drugs out of the house, White said.

"I believe it was a drug house," said Bob Chizewick, who lives nearby. "There was prostitution and drugs going on down there."

There was activity "at all times of the day," said another neighbor, C.J. Kietzman. "I was out here painting on the house and probably in three hours there were at least four different pickups and dropoffs made."

Undercover deputies had made several drug buys inside the house over the course of the investigation, he said.

During the investigation, White said, the suspect bragged that if he was ever raided by law enforcement officers, "he would take care of them," White said.

Hudson, 38, opened fire from a bedroom as deputies entered the home, authorities said. One round struck a deputy in the chest, but the bullet hit his bulletproof vest and radio, and he was not seriously injured, deputies say.

The struck deputy then shot Hudson in the chest, a Pasco County Sheriff's Office news release states. Hudson was hit once in the chest, White said.

"He opened fire on our deputies," White said, "and we returned fire, and it was a very low-level gunfight. Only a couple [of] rounds were exchanged, and as a result the person who attacked our deputies is deceased this morning."

Several adults were in the home at the time of the shooting, and they were being interviewed. No charges were immediately filed, White said.

No one else was injured.

The name of the deputy who killed the suspect was not released. White said his name may not be released because he is a member of the SWAT team.

The deputy, an eight-year veteran with the agency, was placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation, which is standard policy. The Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney's Office and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement were called in to investigate the shooting.

Two others were arrested on drug charges related to today's search warrant. They are Rose Marie Mazzone, 36, and George Hudson, the 51-year-old brother of Luther K. Hudson.

News Channel 8 reporter Chip Osowski contributed to this story.

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