ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – A man who kidnapped another man, leading police on chase before he was later shot by Orlando officers in January 2020, was sentenced to life.
Court records show Trave Billings was sentenced Friday, Feb. 25, for the kidnapping that ended with officers shooting him on Colonial Drive.
Recommended Videos
[TRENDING: Woman dubbed ‘serial stowaway’ gets 3 years in prison for sneaking onto flights | Busch Gardens removes beams after guest injured on Iron Gwazi | Become a News 6 Insider (it’s free!)]
According to investigators, an officer noticed Billings and a second suspect — De’Angelo Stephenson — forcing a man into an SUV in Orlando’s Parramore neighborhood.
Police followed the two men, but the driver sped away. During the pursuit, Billings bailed out of the car and attempted to carjack a driver in the Western Way Shopping Center parking lot at 2124 West Colonial Drive. Investigators were able to find Stephenson and the kidnapped victim in the backseat of the car, taking Stephenson into custody.
According to investigators, Billings tried to run from officers and was seen with a handgun when he was shot by an Orlando officer.
“He actually tried to carjack a victim that was witnessed by one of our officers. Unable to do so, he went away from the area. Our officers obviously tried to engage him and at that point, he was armed with weapons and a shooting took place,” Chief Orlando Rolon explained during an update after the shooting.