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Polk County deputies shoot gunman who opened fire on them, officials say

Man taken to hospital as trauma alert patient; deputy suffers minor injury

File photo.

MULBERRY, Fla. – Polk County sheriff’s deputies shot a 33-year-old gunman after he opened fire, injuring one deputy, Polk County Sheriff’s Office officials said.

Around 9:50 p.m. on Sunday, the Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call about a man who posted a Facebook live video with a shotgun to his head, threatening to kill himself. The family of the man contacted law enforcement and deputies began searching for him. According to his family, the man argued with his wife and left home Sunday night after drinking alcohol.

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Around 10:50 p.m., deputies found the Bartow man sitting in his car under a bridge on Nichols Road in Mulberry. According to the sheriff’s office, four deputies approached the vehicle and asked him to show his hands. He initially held up both hands, but then reached down and grabbed the shotgun and immediately fired at them through his windshield, striking 32-year-old Deputy Sheriff Joshua Chaves in the arm, according to the sheriff’s office.

All four of the deputies on scene returned fire, striking the man three times. Deputies immediately rendered aid until Polk County Fire Rescue could arrive. Paramedics transported the man to a local hospital via trauma alert. He was in stable condition as of Monday afternoon.

Chaves was also transported to a hospital, where he was treated for minor injuries to his arm and released. According to the sheriff’s office, Chaves was hired as a detention deputy in 2014, and became a patrol deputy in 2015.

No charges had been filed in connection with the shooting as of Monday afternoon.

An investigation into the shooting is ongoing.


About the Author
Daniel Dahm headshot

Daniel started with WKMG-TV in 2000 and became the digital content manager in 2009. When he's not working on ClickOrlando.com, Daniel likes to head to the beach or find a sporting event nearby.

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