RUSKIN (WSVN) – Two Hillsborough County deputies were hospitalized and one suspect is dead after a deadly shootout in Ruskin.
Authorities said that the deputies were responding to a domestic violence call in Ruskin, south of Tampa, when they came under fire.
“Our suspect ambushed our deputies from the moment they arrived on scene. He was intent on taking the life of a deputy sheriff,” said Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister. “Our suspect’s reign of terror ended today because of the training, the bravery, and heroic actions of each of these deputies.”
The tense moments were caught on body camera footage by the deputies.
Deputy Sopharmony Moon took a bullet to the face in the shooting, while deputy Colton Daniels was shot in the neck.
“I’m in my car, I got hit in the neck!” said Daniels.
Sergeant Harrison Bashner returned fire, and shot the suspect, 34-year-old Chris Dmuchowski.
Jason Kimber, a nearby neighbor, heard gunfire early Thursday morning
“We just heard like five or six shots loud. I thought it was like a nail gun or somebody banging on something,” he said.
Investigators said that the incident started as a domestic violence case.
Dmuchowski allegedly held his ex-girlfriend hostage overnight, before she escaped, leading deputies directly to him.
Kimber described a vehicle at the scene where the shooting happened.
“The maroon van that had the windows all shot out of that, It was crazy. The back side of the van, with the windows busted out and there’s bullet holes,” he said.
Chronister said that he spoke with both deputies before they were airlifted to Tampa General Hospital.
“As you can imagine, in severe agony from the injuries and sensitivity of where these injuries occurred but both of them speaking, both of them grateful to be alive,” he said.
Daniels shared his survival story in the hospital.
“Once I saw the gun pointed at me and heard gunshots, I knew to try to take cover, get behind something solid on the car. Once I realized I was shot, the first aid side took effect,” he said.
Both deputies are expected to make a full recovery, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the incident.
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