ORLANDO, Fla. — Newly released body-camera video and search warrant records are shedding light on the drug investigation that brought Orlando police to a tattoo shop on Edgewater Drive Friday, moments before officers opened fire and killed 20-year-old Kaleb Williams.
The search warrant obtained by Channel 9 details a months-long narcotics investigation into the shop, sparked by an anonymous tip in September alleging drug sales, gang activity, and firearm possession inside the business. Orlando Police Department officers had been conducting surveillance in the weeks leading up to the deadly encounter.
According to the affidavit, OPD’s Drug Enforcement Division received a Crimeline tip on Sept. 17 reporting that tattoo artists inside the shop were selling a designer methamphetamine known as “Ice Cream” or “TDA,” along with cannabis and Percocet pills. Investigators wrote that the shop was operating under a booth-rental model — with multiple independent artists renting space from the owner.
Detectives said they corroborated the tip through surveillance, social media posts, and two traffic stops. Photos and videos reviewed by investigators showed individuals inside the business smoking suspected cannabis, handling firearms, and flashing cash. Police identified multiple tattoo artists connected to the shop, including Williams, who were discovered entering or exiting the location frequently as investigators conducted surveillance.
One of the individuals listed in the affidavit, identified as the shop owner, had multiple felony convictions, while others, including Williams, were documented with histories involving weapons, narcotics, or theft.
Detectives say they witnessed hand-to-hand drug transactions
The warrant states that detectives observed “heavy foot traffic” inconsistent with normal tattoo operations, along with hand-to-hand transactions in front of the shop. In one instance, investigators said Williams himself was seen walking out of the business and getting into a car where they watched him exchange “an item and U.S. currency” consistent with a narcotics sale.
In another stop, officers pulled over a driver who had briefly entered the shop; police say they recovered 3.3 grams of cannabis that field-tested positive for THC. The driver admitted the marijuana did not come from a medical dispensary.
Body-camera video shows moments before officers opened fire
On Friday, OPD officers and SWAT arrived to execute the search warrant. Body-camera video released by OPD shows officers approaching the business and ordering a person to step out. “Step out to your right. Stop, stop!” one officer shouts.
From another surveillance angle, a SWAT truck can be seen pulling up just before someone steps outside holding what appears to be a rifle. That’s when officers open fire. Inside the business, officers found Williams shot and killed. Police say they later recovered a stolen gun next to him.
As part of the investigation, OPD also released a music video they say was filmed inside the shop, showing multiple people smoking marijuana, waving firearms, and displaying large amounts of cash, footage that investigators used to help establish probable cause for the warrant.
Family: Williams was trying to turn his life around
Following the shooting, community members held a vigil for Williams. His mother told Channel 9 that her son had been trying to make positive changes before the encounter with the police. No one else was hurt in the shooting. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is now reviewing the use of force, which is standard for any police-involved shooting in Florida.
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