OCALA, Fla. – A trooper was shot at but not injured during a chase that started in downtown Ocala Thursday afternoon, according to the Ocala Police Department.
Records show the incident began when a man, later identified as David James, went into a boutique on Silver Springs Boulevard around 3 p.m. and held the business owner at gunpoint and demanded cash.
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The victim handed over cash from his pockets, his wallet and the money that was in the store’s cash register, according to the affidavit.
After that, James told the victim to go to the back of the store before “I shoot you,” so the victim ran outside and went to his vehicle to receive his gun from the center console, according to authorities. The victim has a concealed weapons permit, records show.
The victim went back toward the boutique to find James and saw him running down Silver Springs Boulevard. Police said the victim chased after James for several blocks and fired multiple shots at him.
James was able to get away in a silver Nissan sedan, records show.
Shortly after the shooting, a witness notified a Florida Highway Patrol trooper about what she’d seen and as they were talking, James drove by them, according to the affidavit.
The witness told the trooper the man involved in the shooting was in the car so the trooper got into his patrol vehicle, turned on his lights and chased after the sedan for several miles, records show.
Police said during the pursuit, someone in the passenger’s seat of the Nissan shot several rounds at the trooper’s vehicle. The trooper was not injured.
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles said James got away on Thursday and the search for him was ongoing.
On Friday, police said James was being interviewed by the Gainesville Police Department.
According to a news release, he was located during a traffic stop in Gainesville around 2:30 a.m. Friday. Authorities said they’re still looking for the Nissan’s passenger.
James is facing charges of aggravated fleeing and eluding and principle to attempted murder. He’s also expected to face charges in connection with the incident at the boutique.