MELBOURNE, Fla. (WSVN) — A heated exchange of gunfire was caught on camera between deputies and a man during a routine traffic stop.
“What’s that? In the car? He wants to talk to you out here,” said Brevard Sheriff’s Office Deputy Thoman.
New dashcam video from the sheriff’s office showed the moment deputies were ambushed in Melbourne last week.
The entire incident lasted about a minute and was captured on two different dashboard cameras.
Deputies Brian Potters and Thoman were conducting a traffic stop last month when a man hopped out of the backseat of a car and opened fire on the deputies.
“This was an extremely violent ambush that both of our deputies and the occupants of the vehicle were extremely blessed to survive,” said Brevard County Sheriff’s Office Sheriff Wayne Ivey.
Deputy Thoman was seen talking to a woman outside her vehicle about a 2-month-old baby and dog in the backseat while the vehicle occupant is leaning against the rear of the car.
“Hahaha, I’ll make sure they’re OK. I got babies too,” said Thoman.
The suspected shooter was sitting in the back seat, before he got out and opened fire.
The suspect then took cover at the front of the vehicle, putting the baby inside at risk.
Potters was heard saying he was struck by gunfire around the same time the suspect appeared to be wounded by return fire.
As the deputies moved to the side of the police cruiser, the suspect attacked Potters from behind when his rifle jammed.
He struck him in the head with the butt of his weapon before they both went out of frame and fell to the ground.
Thoman then fired multiple shots at the suspect who was pronounced dead at the scene.
Potters was shot in the leg and sustained head lacerations, tissue damage and bone fractures.
Officials said the two men standing outside the vehicle during the traffic stop had nothing to do with the ambush attack.
In total, 61 rounds were fired.
“This individual got exactly what he deserved, because evil can never be dead enough,” said Ivey.
The suspect had 23 felonies, 17 misdemeanors and two active drug investigation cases pending.
Both deputies are recovering and are expected to be OK.
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