By Tony Marrero
Tampa Bay Times
TAMPA, Fla. — A suspect accused of taking his ex-girlfriend hostage shot and wounded two Hillsborough sheriff’s deputies in Ruskin on Thursday earlier than a 3rd deputy fatally shot him, authorities stated.
Both deputies had been aware and speaking once they had been loaded into medical helicopters close to the scene on West Shell Point Road close to U.S. 41, Sheriff Chad Chronister stated at a news convention.
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The suspect, 34-year-old Christopher Michael Dmuchowski, was pronounced useless on the hospital.
“The hand of God was with our deputies here today,” Chronister stated. “Our suspect ambushed our deputies from the moment they arrived on scene. He was intent on taking the life of a deputy sheriff.”
The chain of occasions that led to the capturing started Thursday morning when a girl arrived on the sheriff’s workplace’s district workplace to report that Dmuchowski, her ex-boyfriend, got here to her house Wednesday night time and gagged her with a sock and tape, Chronister stated.
“Several times throughout the evening, as she gains consciousness and loses consciousness, he tells her as he’s holding her at gunpoint that he’s going to kill her,” Chronister stated.
When she awakened within the morning, the lady realized she was not restrained. She instructed Dmuchowski she had an appointment, and he let her go away, in keeping with Chronister. She then went to the district workplace to hunt a safety order.
Deputies went to Dmuchowski’s house on Shell Point Road and used a drone to find out he seemed to be alone inside. The drone then confirmed Dmuchowski leaving the house and strolling in a parking zone, so deputies moved in to take him into custody.
When Deputy Sopharmony Muon arrived and commenced to get out of his patrol automobile, Dmuchowski opened fireplace from inside his van, hitting Muon within the face, in keeping with Chronister.
When Deputy Colton Daniels arrived, Dmuchowski opened fireplace earlier than Daniels received out of his automotive, hitting him within the neck, the sheriff stated.
A 3rd deputy, Sgt. Harrison Bashner, arrived and opened fireplace on Dmuchowski, hitting him a number of instances.
Chronister stated he arrived in time to talk to Muon and Daniels earlier than medical helicopters took off for Tampa General Hospital. Both had been in “severe agony” however had been speaking and “grateful to be alive,” he stated.
He praised the actions of Bashner, a 27-year veteran of the company.
“Our suspect’s reign of terror ended today because of the training, the bravery and heroic actions of each of these deputies,” Chronister stated.
Last month, a girl who shared a Shell Point Road handle with Dmuchowski filed a petition in search of a home violence safety order in opposition to him. According to the petition, the lady and Dmuchowski had been arguing when he started choking her from behind.
“Toxic,” the lady wrote. “Dangerous. Please help me. I’ve tried all I can think of.”
A choose granted a brief safety order, and a listening to was held June 15 . More particulars weren’t instantly out there Thursday.
Manatee County courtroom data present the Bradenton Police Department arrested Dmuchowski in May 2024 after a girl stated he entered her locked residence with out permission, put his arm round her neck and choked her till she misplaced consciousness. The girl instructed police she and Dmuchowski had beforehand lived collectively as a pair however separated the earlier February.
Officers who arrived and took Dmuchowski into custody discovered cocaine in his pocket, in keeping with an arrest report.
Records present prosecutors dropped a cost of housebreaking with assault or battery, and Dmuchowski pleaded no contest to possession of cocaine and drug paraphernalia.
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