A Florida man convicted of shooting at ATF agents while driving more than 100 miles per hour on I-4 is learning his fate

LAKELAND, Fla. – A convicted felon will spend the next four decades behind bars for shooting at federal agents while leading them on a high-speed, multi-county chase through Plant City and Lakeland.

Francisco Cabrera, 29, of Dover, robbed two stores and a gas station in Plant City and Brandon between January 13 and January 17, 2022.

Officials say that during these robberies, Cabrera held the victims at gunpoint.

Sometimes he would take the magazine out of his gun, show bullets to victims and say, “This is real” or “Give me the money or I'll shoot you.”

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On January 19, 2022, Cabrera returned to the gas station he had robbed and ambushed a man sitting in a truck outside. As he drove away, he pointed his firearm at others who tried to stop him and help the victim, according to authorities.

Later that day, investigators from the Lakeland Police Department and agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) found Cabrera in Plant City.

The police officers began pursuing him with their lights and sirens on. Cabera got on I-4 and drove toward Lakeland at 100 miles per hour.

“It wasn’t a movie. It was a reality,” said Joseph Maurer, deputy chief of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. “Task force officers, police officers and federal agents risk their lives to apprehend an evil person.”

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During an 11-mile chase, Cabrera nearly collided with a truck, ran red lights into oncoming traffic causing other vehicles to take evasive action, and nearly crashed into other vehicles.

As Cabrera drove away from law enforcement officers at a high rate of speed, he opened fire on local and state officers, firing approximately 8 to 15 shots at seven different police officers. He once shot at two police officers who were standing in front of their vehicles in front of him and trying to deploy brake rods, hitting the front hood of one of their vehicles.

After ensuring that no other law enforcement officers or civilians were in danger, an ATF agent shot Cabrera, hitting him twice in the lower back.

Lakeland police and ATF agents then surrounded Cabrera and administered first aid and medical aid, saving his life. No one else was injured in the incident.

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“One of our federal agents closely pursued Cabrera despite the gunfire and heavy traffic on I-4,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Kirk Howard. “As the approximately 12-mile chase entered an area of ​​relatively low population density, the agent made the calculated decision to fire his firearm through the windshield to protect the public from Cabrera's reckless rampage. These shots wounded Cabrera twice in the lower back and, more importantly, provided Lakeland police officers, ATF task force officers and the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office the time and space necessary to approach the perpetrator's vehicle , arresting a still-defiant Cabrera and immediately administering first aid, which ultimately kept Cabrera alive to this day. ”

Cabrera was sentenced to 38 years in federal prison for robbery, carjacking, attempted murder and possession of a firearm as a convicted felon.

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