COCOA, Fla. – A Brevard County deputy opened fire Friday on the driver of a stolen car who attempted to run them over in a Cocoa parking lot, Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey said.
The deputy said they spotted a stolen black Volkswagen sedan occupied by two men in the Save A Lot parking lot on Dixon Boulevard around 3 p.m. When the deputy approached the driver, the driver drove at the deputy hitting them with the car, according to a news release from the Sheriff’s Office.
At that point, the deputy opened fire on the car, Ivey said.
The deputy suffered minor injuries, including road rash, when they fell to the ground as the vehicle hit the deputy. Officials said the deputy was taken to the hospital for treatment.
It’s unclear if the car or the driver or his passenger were hit by gunfire. The driver fled the scene and was headed north on Pineda Street when they were last seen.
Authorities have not been able to find the 2014 four-door Volkswagen sedan involved.
The deputy has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation, which is standard procedure for a deputy-involved shooting.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Agent Wendy Wheeler at 321-633-8413 or Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS.