Executive Summary
- Kaleb Zachary Williams, a 20-year-old tattoo artist, was identified as the man killed during an Orlando police drug raid at his workplace.
- Police report that officers opened fire on an alleged gang member who emerged from the shop with an AK-47-style rifle.
- Williams was later found deceased inside the building, near where the shooting occurred; a stolen gun was found on his body.
- The raid concluded a two-month investigation into narcotics and weapons, resulting in the seizure of five firearms and drugs.
An Orlando tattoo artist was killed during a police raid last week after officers opened fire on another man who allegedly exited the business with a rifle, authorities announced Monday. The Orlando Police Department identified the deceased as Kaleb Zachary Williams, 20, who was found inside the shop after a SWAT team attempted to execute a drug and gun-related search warrant on Friday, November 14, 2025.
Details of the Incident
According to a news release from the Orlando Police Department (OPD), the incident occurred around 2 p.m. at a tattoo shop on Edgewater Drive. When officers arrived to serve the warrant, a man, alleged by police to be a registered gang member, exited the rear of the shop carrying an AK-47-style rifle. Police stated that when the man did not comply with commands, officers opened fire, causing him to retreat back inside the business.
SWAT officers entered the shop approximately one hour later and found Williams deceased. The police report indicated he appeared to have been standing near the rear door when the shots were fired. A stolen gun was reportedly found on his body. The release did not explicitly state Williams’ cause of death. The alleged gang member who was fired upon was located uninjured and was not originally a target of the search warrant.
Body-camera footage released by the department shows officers arriving at the back of the shop. As they command another individual to drop a drink, the armed man suddenly exits a nearby door. After officers shout commands, he turns to go back inside, at which point officers begin firing.
Investigation and Warrant Execution
The raid was the culmination of a two-month investigation that began in September following an anonymous tip about illegal drug sales at the location. Investigators conducted surveillance, observed transactions consistent with narcotics sales, and noted social media posts from inside the shop depicting firearms and illegal drugs.
The execution of the search warrant led to the recovery of five firearms, ammunition, 190 grams of cannabis, and drug paraphernalia. Of the nine individuals sought in the warrant, three besides Williams were located at the shop. The investigation remains ongoing, with criminal charges pending. It is important to note that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
